In A Tower In The Sky
by DobbyRocksSocks
Summary: A collection of small Marvel pieces that may one day turn into fully fledged fics. Can all be read alone. Pairings/Characters will be noted at the top of each chapter. (Many will be Tony related).
1. TonyPepper

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges Listed at the Bottom.**

 **Pairing -** TonyPepper (TonyCentric)

 **Word Count** \- 660

* * *

 **Impact**

* * *

It was a mess. _He_ was a mess.

Sure, he'd managed to figure out the element that had saved his life, and sure, Pepper was lying upstairs in the bed they now shared, but that didn't automatically fix everything that had happened over the last year.

Tony had been barely holding on by a thread and now…

Now he was free falling with no idea how to catch himself before he hit rock bottom.

He'd freed up some of his time by giving Pepper the promotion of her life, and saved himself the bother of forever attempting to be a fully functioning adult when, let's face it, wasn't his strongest game, and yet…

He still wasn't sleeping.

He was still spending hours in the lab, distracting himself from life in an attempt to keep his mind busy enough that he wouldn't panic.

Tony couldn't afford to panic.

He'd thought… he'd though he could do it. Turn over a new leaf, be a superhero, and yet…

Iron Man, recommended, Tony Stark, nope.

He just didn't get it. How could part of him be recommended and the rest of him tossed to the side? Maybe they didn't understand, but he was Iron Man. Iron Man was him, the best part of him.

Tony wasn't sure how to explain and honestly, he didn't think it would matter. The decision had been made. He wasn't ever going to be an Avenger; he wasn't ever going to be given the chance to make up for his naive ignorance.

But it was okay.

He could do it alone, the same way he had been. He could distract himself enough to _not panic,_ he could push away the doubts and the fears and he could be… good.

He could be good.

Unselfish.

He could be all the things the world had decided they didn't need, if it only meant he could save lives instead of unintentionally causing them to end.

And Pep would be there. She loved him, she did, he believed her when she told him that. He wasn't completely sure if she knew exactly _what_ she was loving, but he was selfish enough to take it anyway.

"Sir," Jarvis interrupted Tony's train of thought gently, softly.

Christ, even his AI was treading gently.

"What is it, J?"

"Miss Potts is awake and asking after you," Jarvis told him quietly. "I believe she wishes you to return to bed, Sir."

Tony nodded, swallowing hard. He could do that. He could go and climb into bed beside her and sleep with her in his arms.

He _could_ do that.

"Tell her I'll be right there, J."

"Very good, Sir."

Tony saved the work he'd been doing quickly and left the lab, slowly walking up the stairs. Pepper was sitting up slightly in bed and she watched him with concern evident in her eyes as he neared the bed.

"Everything okay?" she asked, her voice rough with sleep.

He smiled and climbed in beside her, tugging her down until her head rested on his chest and his hand lay on her back. She immediately snuggled into his side, wrapping her arm around his waist.

"Everything's fine, Pep. Just lost track of time. Go back to sleep."

She nodded against him, pressing a kiss to his vest covered chest. He closed his eyes and tried to relax into the mattress, tried to not let the thoughts he'd been avoiding into his mind.

Instead he focused on Pepper's even breathing.

It was a mess. He was a mess.

But… for her, Tony wanted to be better. For Pepper, Tony would try.

…

 _Phil Coulson arrived at Stark Tower, determined that Tony would join the Avengers to defeat Loki. Tony wondered if the man knew how much of an impact that would later have on Tony's life. He wondered if the man would still insist on handing over the files, if he knew what would come from it in the end._

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 6. Promotion

1000 - 1000. It was a mess.


	2. TonyClint

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonyClint (Pre-relationship)

 **Word Count** \- 1160

* * *

 **There Was Time**

* * *

Clint woke to the vibrations running through the bed. It was Tony's way around having an alarm that would hurt Clint's ears, and he was ridiculously grateful for it. He reached down to smack the button on the side of the bed to turn them off when his eyes found the clock on the table.

The time was fine, but the date…

 _Odd_.

Tony's tech didn't usually muck up, especially something as simple as a clock.

Clint shook his head and pushed the matter from his mind. He'd mention it to Tony later, he supposed.

He showered and dressed, his morning routine set to the minute as it was everyday, and then made his way out to the communal kitchen. He blinked when he saw his teammates sitting around the table, in exactly the same places as they'd been the morning before.

 _Wearing the same clothes._

"What the fuck?" he mumbled to himself.

Tony looked up and smiled at him in greeting. "Morning, Legolas."

"Why are you all…. Is this some kind of joke?" Clint asked, looking around at them all. He met the concerned eyes of each of his teammates.

"What… what's wrong?" Bruce asked, his brow furrowing.

Clint caught sight of the date on the paper Steve was reading and shook his head, rubbing his hand over his eyes.

Seriously, what the fuck was going on?

…

Clint was slumped on the sofa when the assemble alarm blasted through the tower. At exactly midday.

The same as it had the day previous.

…

They were fighting odd little robot things.

They same as they had the day previous.

…

Clint jumped off of the building he'd been stationed. Tony caught him, only just barely, and reprimanded him soundly through the comms for being a reckless bastard.

Different, but only because Clint had made it so.

…

Nat fell.

She didn't get back up.

…

Clint woke up to the vibrations running through the bed. He rubbed his face, blinking his eyes open.

Stupid fucking dream.

Turning to hit the button that would end the vibrations, Clint's eyes widened when he saw the date.

 _Oh fuck no._

…

Steve fell. He didn't get back up.

…

Nat fell again.

…

Sam fell, and Thor fell, and Bruce fell one by one.

…

Clint didn't know what to do. He'd lived the same day over and over, thirty four times by his count, and everytime, one of his teammates died.

It didn't seem to matter what he changed, what he did, what warnings he yelled, someone always died and then Clint woke up in the same day.

…

"Tony! Tony, look —"

Clint watched in horror as the flying robot collided with the back of Iron Man. It almost felt like slow motion as the armour dropped from the sky until it fell out of sight. Clint ran through the streets, ignoring his teammates calling his name, until he found Tony splayed on the floor, the armour damaged beyond anything Clint had seen before.

"Tony," he whispered, pulling the faceplate easily from its hinges.

Blood bubbled at Tony's lips, slipping down the side of his face. Tony looked up at him, his eyes wild and panicked.

"Clint," he whimpered, forcing the word past his lips. "Clint, hurts. Hurts."

"I know, Tony, I know. It's okay, medical's on the way, okay? You're going to be okay."

Clint thought watching Nat die was the worst thing he'd ever seen, but sitting here on the ground, with Tony still locked into his damaged armour…

"I… I…"

"S'okay, Tones," Clint hushed gently, stroking his face. "You're going to be okay, I promise."

"I… love you," Tony whispered, barely audible. His body was seizing, the armour rocking slightly on the floor. "I love you, Clint."

Clint could only watch as the light left Tony's eyes and the last breath left his lungs.

…

Clint woke up to the vibrations on the bed, tears running down his face.

…

The battle was going well. Really well. Clint was determined he wasn't about to see one of his teammates die again, and he called out warnings as much as he was able, keeping himself perched high on a building where he could watch his team.

…

They won.

Nobody died.

…

Clint woke up to the vibrations on his bed and turned to look at the clock. He stared at it for a long moment, almost unable to believe what he was seeing.

It…

He climbed out of bed, hitting the button to stop the vibrations as he went. He pulled a t-shirt on and left his rooms, forgoing his usual routine. Approaching the kitchen, he could feel nerves bubbling in his stomach and he had to force himself to continue.

Nat… wasn't there.

In fact… only Steve and Tony were there, talking quietly over coffee.

Tony wasn't wearing a suit.

Tony was wearing sweatpants.

"Oh, thank fuck," Clint gasped out, running his eyes over Tony critically.

"Clint?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrow. "You okay?"

Clint didn't answer, he stepped forward and laid his hand against Tony's neck, feeling the strong pulse there. "You're okay," he whispered.

Tony nodded, looking bemused and concerned as he looked from Clint to Steve and back again.

"Are you okay, Clint?" Steve asked, his brow furrowed.

Clint nodded, raising the hand from Tony's neck to cup his cheek gently. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. I… I'm so glad you're okay," he murmured to Tony, his thumb rubbing over the apple of Tony's cheek.

He smiled slightly when he saw the faint blush appearing there, before Tony ducked his head. "I'm fine, Legolas," Tony assured him, stepping back and picking his coffee up. "I'm going to head down to the lab. I'll see you guys later."

Clint slumped at the table, watching Tony walk away.

"Are you sure you're okay, Clint?" Steve asked, still frowning with worry. "Do you need to talk about something, or…?"

Clint shook his head and laughed. "You wouldn't believe me if I tried, Cap."

…

The movie played on the tv, but Clint couldn't concentrate. Tony was sitting beside him, falling asleep if his lolling head was anything to go by. Clint couldn't help the fond smile on his lips.

He also couldn't help but hear the echo of Tony's words in his head.

He'd spent the few days since he'd woken up on the next day looking for signs in their interactions that Tony hadn't been fucking with him in his last moments, but found nothing. Tony still treated him as he always had.

A weight on his shoulder and he couldn't stop the chuckle when he realised Tony had flailed to the side in his tiredness.

Tony stirred at the movement, but Clint shushed, him, lifting his arm so that Tony could be more comfortable pressed into his side.

There was time, Clint figured, to see if anything could come of this.

There was time now.

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 22. Reckless

1000 - 101. Stuck in a time loop.


	3. TonyClint 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- Established TonyClint

 **Word Count** \- 535

* * *

 **A Better Gift (He'd Never Had)**

* * *

Clint rubbed a hand over his face. His body was stiff and he shifted in the chair uncomfortably. He didn't have a clue how long he'd been sitting there, staring into space, nor did he really care.

He wasn't moving.

"It's my job to care for the welfare of the whole team," Steve had said, sighing tiredly. "Go home and get some rest, I'll sit with him."

Clint had staunchly refused. He'd rest when Tony opened his eyes and not before. He didn't care if Steve was responsible for the team, Clint was responsible for being there when his boyfriend woke up from his _coma._

They'd been warned it could be a long wait. They'd been told that it could be an indefinite wait, since Tony might never wake up.

Clint had scoffed at those words and turned away. He couldn't, wouldn't, believe that. Not of Tony, because Tony was a stubborn bastard and more than that, he never broke his promises.

Tony had promised Clint on the morning of the battle that they'd go on vacation for their anniversary.

Somewhere warm, with a beach and a bar that sold cocktails with little umbrellas.

"Clint," Natasha greeted quietly, slipping into the private room.

Clint blinked and turned his head, wincing at the pain in his neck when he did so.

"Have you even moved, beyond the occasional bathroom break?" she asked, handing over a bag that from the smell contained food.

"No," Clint replied flatly, opening the bag to find a steak sandwich, still warm. "Thank you," he added gruffly.

She nodded. "Any more news?"

Clint shook his head. "More of the same. He's going to wake up, Nat. It's Tony."

She smirked. "Of course he will," she agreed. "He's too stubborn not to."

…

Three weeks. Three goddamn weeks Clint had been sitting beside Tony's bed. The team had been getting increasingly worried about him, but he'd shaken them all off with a glare or a harsh word to tell them he wasn't moving.

"You've got to wake up, baby," he murmured, clutching Tony's hand between both of his own. "You've got to. We've got a vacation to plan. And…"

Clint choked on a sob.

"I need you to wake up," he whispered. "I don't know what or who I am without you at my side anymore. You can't leave me. You _can't."_

…

The beeping was the first thing that alerted Clint something was different. He woke up, startled when the machine started speeding up. Clint sat up to look at Tony, only to find beautiful brown eyes looking back at him, confused and pained.

"Tony," Clint gasped, tears blurring his eyes as he leant over to his the button for the nurses. "Can you hear me, baby?"

Tony tried to talk but coughed over the words, wincing in pain.

"Shh, honey," Clint murmured, stroking his cheek. "The doctor will be here in a second, okay? You're okay, baby."

Doctors and nurses bustled into the room and Clint was forced back against the wall. But that was okay.

Not for a single second did Tony take his eyes away from Clint, and honestly, that was better than any fancy cocktail for their anniversary.

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 10. Welfare.

1000 - 102. Coma


	4. TonyThor

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** Tony/Thor (Pre-relationship)

 **Word Count -** 985

(Set in a happy world where nothing hurts and the team is family).

* * *

 **(Not) Jealous**

* * *

Thor wasn't jealous.

He _wasn't._

God's didn't get jealous.

He was just… watching. And if he happened to be glaring while he was watching, well, maybe it was just a trick of the light.

Steve was the first to ask him about it, a concerned frown on his face as he absently stroked a hand through Tony's hair, where the man was sprawled over his lap on the sofa, fast asleep.

Thor had assured him nothing was wrong, and had even forced his gaze back to the tv, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing back to the sofa every few seconds.

Tony looked restful, _peaceful,_ in a way he didn't ever look while he was awake. The usual tension the man carried was gone, and he was perfectly pliant under the Captains large hands.

Thor seethed silently, wondering why it was that Tony was comfortable with everyone _but_ him.

…

"Poor baby," Tony cooed, his long lashes framing wide eyes to make him look the very picture of innocent.

Clint rolled his eyes at the genius. "I'm just saying, maybe people should read the names on the containers in the fridge."

Laughing, Tony shook his head. "Or maybe you can keep the food you want to save in the fridge on your own floor and then there won't be any whining when people eat your food?"

Clint sighed and slumped into Tony's side, resting his chin on Tony's shoulder. "I want Thai. Should we go for Thai?"

Tony looked thoughtful for a moment before he nodded. "Sure, I could go for Thai. You wanna eat out?"

Clint nodded, nuzzling his face against Tony's neck for a moment before he sat back up. "Sure. Be nice to get out of the tower for a bit."

"And with the best date too," Tony replied cheekily. "J, book us a table, please."

Tony flashed Thor a grin before he left the kitchen, Clint at his heels. Thor looked down and realised the fork he'd been holding was bent in half. He hadn't even realised he'd been squeezing it.

…

"Hey, Thor, can you give us a hand in here?" Tony called from the living room.

Thor popped his head around the corner. "What is it you have need of, Anthony?"

"I'm going to teach Steve how to braid," Tony replied cheerfully, gesturing to Bucky and Steve who were hovering by the sofa Tony had been sitting on.

Thor smiled. "Of course."

This was it. He'd finally feel those calloused, hard working hands sifting through his hair, perhaps even glancing over his neck and shoulders.

Tony tossed two plush cushions onto the floor, gesturing for Thor and Bucky to sit down. Thor beat Bucky to the cushion in front of Tony, and sat down, leaning his broad back against the sofa.

"Here, Steve, come sit," he heard Tony say behind him, and then there was movement on the sofa. Suddenly, a hand rested on his shoulder, and Thor barely managed to hold back a growl. Tony had shifted over to sit behind Bucky, was already sifting his fingers through the dark hair of the Winter Soldier.

Thor could do nothing but listen to the soft tone of Tony, and watch, from the corner of his eye, as Bucky melted into a puddle of pliable human, putty beneath the Man of Iron's capable hands.

This was getting _ridiculous._

…

Thor had had enough.

He'd been forced for weeks to watch Tony touch and show his affections for every single one of their teammates, beside him, and he was done.

Never before had he ached for the touch of another so much.

The team had gathered for movie night, and Thor made sure he was the last to arrive, smiling to himself when he saw Tony sitting in one of the arm chairs, his legs hanging over the arm.

There was a free seat beside Bruce, who automatically shifted his legs so Thor had room to sit, but the God of Thunder shook his head and instead approached Tony. Without warning, he scooped the genius up into his arms and sat down in the armchair, arranging Tony on his lap.

Tony yelped in shock at the unexpected movement, looking up at Thor with wide eyes. Thor looked down at him, his lips tilting into a small smile when he saw the utter befuddlement on Tony's face.

"Are you comfortable?" Thor asked softly, his hand making long stroking movements down Tony's spine. His smile only widened when Tony melted into his touch.

"Uh huh."

Tony did a little wriggle before he melted against Thor's broad chest.

"Everyone else is cancelled, Thor is the best cuddler," he announced, snuggling in even more.

Thor chuckled, wrapping his arms around the smaller man.

This. This was what he'd been craving.

…

"Is this what the glares were about?" Steve asked, pausing by the chair on his way from the room.

The movie was long over, and everyone else was heading for bed. Tony had fallen asleep halfway through and Thor was loath to wake him. Everyone knew Tony didn't get close to enough sleep on his best days.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Thor replied gruffly. His cheeks were heating, but he refused to believe that he was blushing.

"Jealousy is a natural reaction, Thor," Steve replied, quietly, patting his shoulder. "I get jealous when Bucky cuddles Tony too."

"Because… of Bucky, correct?"

"Yeah. I… he… yeah. Because of Bucky. Not Tony."

Thor smiled. "Good. I believe I'm going to court Anthony properly, now that I know that he is not adverse to my presence."

Steve smiled. "That's good. A word of advice? Make sure he knows your intentions. You know how oblivious Tony can be when people like him."

Thor chuckled and nodded. "There will be no doubt in his mind that I wish him to be mine, I assure you."

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 29. Wriggle.

1000 - 151. Jealousy


	5. Tony&Thor

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** Tony&Thor (Can be read as preslash)

 **Word count** \- 1397

(Set in a happy world where nothing hurts and the team is family).

* * *

 **Essential**

* * *

Tony was so ready to just fall face first onto the nearest bed. He left Steve to check them into the hotel, and leant against a nearby column, trying his hardest to make it look like it wasn't the only thing holding him up.

The rest of the team lingered around him, all looking about tired as he felt. It had been a clusterfuck of a mission from the get go, and they were all so done. When S.H.I.E.L.D chose to make that the night that they couldn't pick the team up, Tony was sure someone was fucking with them on purpose.

After what seemed like forever but was probably only a few minutes in reality, Steve approached them.

"The good news is that they have rooms. The bad news, is that they only have three. And each room only has one bed."

Tony barely managed to hold a groan in. That wasn't good at all. They paired off automatically. Clint and Natasha stole one of the key cards immediately and headed straight for the elevator. Steve slung his arm around Bucky and held the last card out to Tony.

Tony took it, seeing no other choice, and followed the rest to the elevator.

He opened the door to the room minutes later and painfully ignored the very inviting looking bed to escape to the ensuite bathroom instead. He only paused long enough to drop his hold-all by the door.

He stripped and took a shower, gently patting at the injuries he came across. Thankfully there was nothing too bad, though a hospital bed might have been preferable to this.

He considered waiting for the mirror to de-steam so he could shave in an effort to stave off having to climb into bed, but a knock on the door beat him to it. Instead, he wrapped a towel tightly around his waist and opened the door.

Thor looked at him carefully, his head tilted to the side.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his rumbling tone low, proving that even the god was tired.

Tony nodded and swallowed hard. "I'm good, bathroom's all yours."

He stepped past Thor, determinedly not looking at the god. Seconds later, the door closed with a soft snick and Tony let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding.

He crouched to open his bad, wincing at the pain in his ribs. That wasn't fun. Still, at least they actually had bags containing necessities. Not that Tony would ever tell Steve it was a good idea to have back up bags on the jets, the smug fucker wouldn't let him live it down.

If Tony had slept any time in the last few days, he was sure he'd have been able to fix the quinjet, but Steve had taken one look at him and shaken his head, ordering them to a nearby hotel to get some rest.

Clint had suggested the just sleep on the jet, but even Tony wasn't that reckless. If even one of their enemies had managed to escape the fight, they could easily come back for the jet in the dead of night.

Tony pulled on underwear, and then his sweats and a tank top, feeling better once he was clothed.

He glared at the bed, as though he could split it into two singles with just the power of his mind.

It wasn't that he didn't like Thor. Of course he liked Thor. He _really_ liked Thor. But Tony purposefully didn't share a bed, ever. He was a _cuddler._ It was embarrassing, but whenever he fell asleep, if anyone was nearby, Tony found them and snuggled as close as he could.

Tony was quite sure the God of Thunder wouldn't appreciate Tony sprawling all over him at the first opportunity.

The problem, was that Tony didn't want to hurt Thor. It wasn't that Tony didn't want to share with Thor, it was that he didn't particularly want to share with _anyone._

Now he was going to have to find a way to lie down without actually sleeping, and with as tired as he was, he didn't know how.

He climbed onto the bed, pulling the blankets up to his waist as he leant back against the headboard. Even sitting up, he struggled to keep his eyes open. He tried to focus on his tablet, but barely managed a minute before he put it on the bedside table with a noise of disgust. He couldn't even make his eyes focus on the screen.

Thor stepped out of the bathroom in nothing but a pair of shorts, his damp hair messy. He offered Tony a tired smile as he approached the bed, pulled the sheets back on the opposite side and slid in beside Tony.

He looked up at Tony expectantly, and Tony lay down, his head rejoicing as it hit the pillow. Thor turned the lamp off and shifted around, getting himself comfortable. He laid on his side, facing Tony, his hand resting in between the two sets of pillows.

"Goodnight," Thor murmured softly, his eyes closing almost immediately.

"Night, Thor," Tony replied drowsily, his eyes closing. He forced them open, but even he wasn't fooled. The time between his blinks got longer and longer, and forcing his eyes open for harder and harder.

Thor moved beside him, and then a warm hand was clutching at Tony's bicep and he could feel warm breath on his shoulder in calming intervals. Tony turned his head to see Thor watching him with sleepy eyes.

"Sleep," Thor said, tugging Tony closer.

"I—"

"I know you like to cuddle, Tony," Thor said quietly. "I enjoy it."

Tony blinked at him for a long moment. "We're going to talk about why you know that tomorrow," he muttered eventually, giving into the promised warmth of the other man's arms. He burrowed himself into the welcoming embrace and closed his eyes.

Thor's hand made three slow passes through Tony's still damp hair before Tony was out like a light.

…

"How did you know?"

Thor looked up from the book he was reading, and patted the sofa beside him. They were back home in the Tower. Tony had meant to ask Thor when he'd woken up, but the embarrassment had refused to let the words passed his throat.

He hadn't even meant to ask now, but seeing Thor sitting in the soft lighting of the living room had allowed the words to fall from Tony's lips without conscious thought.

He sat down beside Thor, yelping when an arm stretched out around him, pulling his closer.

"You were asleep on the sofa one evening and I sat beside you. It did not take long for you to seek me out. I enjoyed it, Anthony. I do not understand the Midgardian way of avoiding touch. On Asgard, people are much freer with their affections."

Tony leant deeper against Thor, revelling in the comfort.

"I think, for some, craving touch can be seen as a weakness."

Thor frowned and his arm tightened minutely. "That, is ridiculous," he announced with a shake of his head. "Touch is an essential part of life."

Tony snorted. "I've got by just fine without it."

Thor shook his head. "But are you _happy_ without it? There is a big difference between happiness and getting by."

"I… don't really look at things that way, Thor," Tony admitted after a minute, his voice little more than a whisper. "After everything I've gotten wrong in my life, it doesn't… me being happy isn't a factor in getting things done. Maybe one day, I'll have made up for… everything, and I'll be able to work on happiness then."

Thor huffed his displeasure. At one time or another, all of Tony's teammates had tried to talk him out of his need for redemption, but it fell on deaf ears every time. He knew what he'd caused, he knew what he had to make up for; even if the team were willing to forget, Tony wasn't.

"Then, if you should ever require, or even just want, the comfort of another, I beg you come to me," Thor said eventually. "I enjoy the closeness, Anthony. To me, it would be a pleasure, not a punishment."

Tony thought to refuse, but he couldn't deny how good it felt to be pressed into Thor's side.

"I… thanks, Thor."

* * *

 ** **Written for;****

365 - 11. Mirror

1000 - 812. Sharing a bed.


	6. TonySteve

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** TonySteve

 **Word Count -** 608

(Set in a world where nothing hurts and the team is family).

* * *

 **I'll Look After You**

* * *

He winced when he felt his stomach seize again, retching violently seconds later. Tony hated being sick, hated being sick because he was ill, rather than hungover, even more. He didn't have time to be ill.

He had work to do for SI, and the Avengers were always on standby, and he needed to make a few improvements to the armour, and he was supposed to be travelling to Japan in a little over a week, and…

Yeah, Tony didn't have time to be ill.

"Sir, Captain Rogers is requesting entrance to your suite," Jarvis said softly, much to Tony's appreciation. He didn't think he could handle loud noises at the moment with the way his head pounded.

"Tell him I'm busy, J," Tony gasped out. He had no wish for Steve to see him looking so gross and weak and vulnerable.

The team had only ever seen Tony at his best, when he was inventing, or charming his way through a crowd, or fighting off the bad guys. It didn't help that he and Steve had recently been moving into more than teammates, more than friends even.

There was no way on earth was Tony going to inflict his whiny sick self onto the man he was dating.

"He's insisting he sees you, Sir. He's worried, because he hasn't seen you for two days."

"Don't let him—"

Tony was cut off by another violent retch. When he was sure his stomach was finally emptied, he let his head rest against the cool tiles of the wall beside the toilet.

"Captain Rogers has used his override, since I told him you were too unwell to entertain," Jarvis announced and Tony groaned.

"Why would you tell him—"

"Tony? Oh, Tony, are you okay?"

Steve crouched down beside Tony, reaching out a hand to check his temperature. "Jesus, you're burning up."

"Fever," Tony agreed. "I'm okay."

"The hell you are," Steve grumbled. "Why didn't you call for one of us?"

Tony heard the real question. _Why didn't you call for me?_

"I'm fine, Steve," he murmured. "Really. I'm… I'm used to being alone when I'm ill. It's nothing new, you know?"

"That, does not make me feel better. Think you're done throwing up for now?"

Tony nodded weakly, and Steve leant over to flush the toilet, before he lowered the seat and helped Tony up onto it. He poured a glass of water and handed it over with a quiet order to stick to sips instead of gulping.

He grabbed Tony's toothbrush and put a small amount of toothpaste on it before he handed that over too.

Tony took it thankfully, the taste of sick threatening further nausea, even though there was nothing left inside him. Once he was done with that, Steve lifted him as though he weighed nothing and carried him back to bed, deaf to Tony's protests that he was sick but he could still walk dammit.

Steve fluffed pillows and tucked blankets, before he stretched out along the empty side of the bed and shifted over to stroke a hand through Tony's hair.

"You're a mother hen," Tony muttered, his blinks getting longer and longer as Steve's rhythmic movement lulled him to sleep.

"Uh huh," Steve agreed. "When you wake up, we'll see if you can manage tea and chicken soup, okay?"

Tony hummed, twisting under the sheets until he turned onto his side, leaning closer to Steve.

Steve seemed to take the hint and shuffled nearer, until Tony was tucked against his chest, his hair tickling under Steve's chin.

"I'll look after you, sweetheart."

"Shouldn't have too," Tony murmured, almost asleep.

"But I want too."

* * *

365 - 69. Seize

1000 - 367. Being Sick


	7. Tony&Rhodey

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** Tony&Rhodey

 **Word Count - 460**

* * *

 **I'll Still Catch You (When You Fall)**

* * *

Rhodey made his way slowly to the lab, the leg braces Tony had made supporting him. He was so lucky to walk, so lucky to have such a wonderful person in his life to make this possible, and he knew he'd never take his legs for granted ever again.

Still, it was slow going, and he was glad to see the glass doors if only because they meant a seat was imminent.

The glass slid open on his approach, and Tony turned to look at him, raising his eyebrow.

"Aren't you supposed to be resting?" he asked, as Rhodey slumped down onto the sofa.

"I am," Rhodey replied, gesturing to the sofa.

"You're not meant to be pushing yourself, honeybear," Tony said softly, shaking his head. "You've already had physio today, you should have had FRIDAY tell me that you wanted me."

Rhodey rolled his eyes. "Who said I come to see you? I came down to see the kids."

Dum-E let out a happy beep, making both men smile, though Tony's smile fell quickly. It did that a lot these days. Rhodey hated it.

Tony must have seen the look on his face because he sighed. "I'm fine, Rhodey."

"Only people who aren't fine say that they're fine," Rhodey replied flatly.

Tony waved a hand to dismiss the words. "I'm _fine."_

"When was the last time you slept? Or ate? Or drank something other than motor oil flavoured coffee?"

"What has any of that got to do with anything?"

"You're not taking care of yourself. You're going to burn out. I'm worried about you, Tones."

"You don't need to," Tony said quietly. "I'm okay, Honeybear."

Rhodey pursed his lips. "Well. I'm craving Thai food, and I'm going to watch a movie and I don't wanna do it alone. So. Let's go."

"I—"

"You're coming with me," Rhodey interrupted. "I need help back up to the penthouse anyway."

Tony grabbed a wheelchair he'd been keeping spare from the corner of the workshop and rolled it over to Rhodey, holding it steady so Rhodey could pull himself up using the arms. Once he was seated, Tony told FRIDAY to save and close his work and he pushed Rhodey into the elevator.

"I am fine," he murmured. It was so low, Rhodey wasn't sure if he was talking to Rhodey or himself.

"You know, even if you're not, you've still got people to lean on, right? You don't have to be okay. My legs might be a bit useless, but I'll still catch you when you fall, Tones."

Tony helped Rhodey onto the sofa and sat down beside him, not putting up a fight when Rhodey tugged him against his chest.

"I don't deserve you," Tony muttered.

"You deserve the world, Tones."

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 42. Dismiss

1000 - 230. "Only people who aren't fine say that they're fine."


	8. Tony&Rhodey&Pepper

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** Tony&Rhodey&Pepper friendship, and if you squint TonySteve Preslash

 **Word Count -** 825

* * *

 **Judgement Call**

* * *

The click-clack of heels on the floor leading into the communal floor distracted Steve from the movie playing on the television. Tony groaned, pressing his face into Colonel Rhodes' chest, which made Natasha laugh.

The movie paused, Jarvis at work, Steve supposed, as Miss Potts rounded the corner into the room.

"No paperwork, Pep," Tony moaned, eyeing the dossier in her hand.

Steve rolled his eyes at the scene. He didn't know how Miss Potts put up with Tony as much as she did. Steve himself knew he wouldn't enjoy working with someone who seemed to hate responsibility the way Tony did.

"You like this paperwork," Miss Potts informed Tony, putting the dossier on the table in front of Tony. "I promise."

Tony stared at her for a long moment before he shifted from where he'd been curled around Colonel Rhodes to sit on the edge of the sofa, pulling the dossier towards him.

As soon as he opened it and read the first page, his entire demeanor changed. His face lit up, his eyes sparkling as he looked up at Miss Potts.

Steve suddenly understood why people were actually drawn to Tony, if he looked at them like that.

"Already?"

Miss Potts nodded. "Already."

"Awesome."

Tony opened the file fully and pulled out the stack of papers before he paused. "Uh. We should move this party to the penthouse, no?" he asked, looking between Miss Potts and Rhodey. "Don't want to take over the living room."

"Eh," Natasha said, shrugging her shoulders. "The movie is weak and I want to know what's making you smile so hard."

Colonel Rhodes chuckled. "It's the charity file."

"Ah," Natasha replied, understanding dawning. She smiled. "Maybe we could help?"

Tony looked up at her, blinking. "Uh. Sure? You can help if you want?"

Natasha nodded and Steve's curiosity grew. "What does charity file mean?"

"Every three months, Pep brings me by the requests from the charities I support and we go through them and say yay or nay."

"What he means, is we go through them and he argues with us until we let him say yay to donate to all of them," Colonel Rhodes said, smiling fondly at Tony.

"Oh," Steve replied. He didn't really know what to say to that. He couldn't say he'd ever thought Tony would actually look at the requests himself. Surely he had people for that? "I don't mind not watching the movie, if you wanted to stay in here."

Tony shrugged. Splitting the pile of papers into smaller piles. Miss Potts and Colonel Rhodes took a pile each, and then Natasha reached over and took one for herself.

"Okay, Mosley Children's Home—" Miss Potts started.

"Yay!" Tony replied, interrupting her.

"You don't even know what they're asking for," Miss Potts said, laughing.

Tony shrugged. "Don't care, let em have it."

"The Veteran—"

"Yay!" Tony interrupted Colonel Rhodes this time, ducking when the larger man hit him with a cushion.

"Tony—"

"Nope. Kids and Veterans get whatever they need, _you know this_ ," Tony said in a sing song voice.

Steve watched as they worked their way through the papers, Tony getting more and more happy the more he said yes too.

"Justin Hammer—"

"What?" Tony asked, brought up short. "Tell me you're joking!"

"Yes, I'm joking. I was just checking that you were actually listening," Miss Potts said, when they were about two thirds of the way through.

Tony pouted at her, and Steve couldn't help but think it was adorable. He chastised himself for the thought immediately.

"That was mean, Pep," Tony grumbled. He stood up, calling bathroom break and left the room.

Steve watched him go before he turned his attention back to the others. "This is certainly… something," he commented, gesturing to the large yes pile and nonexistent no pile.

"You remember what he said to you on the helicarrier?" Nat asked. "'Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist.' Although, I don't think he's actually a playboy anymore."

"Don't let Tony hear you say that," Colonel Rhodes snorted. "He'll sulk for weeks."

Miss Potts and Natasha chuckled, before Nat turned back to Steve. "I don't know what Fury told you about Tony, but maybe let go of whatever bullshit he filled your mind with and get to know him personally, huh?"

"Tony's a lot," Colonel Rhodes admitted. "For anyone. But taking a chance him was the best decision I ever made."

Miss Potts nodded and smiled her agreement.

Steve watched Tony return to his seat, and sat back in his own, chuckling quietly when Tony told Miss Potts to double a request from the local children's ward. He thought that perhaps it was time he learned to judge for himself, rather than listening to the words of someone else.

It'd been easier, waking up in a new time, to let other people tell him who and what other people were.

But now… it was definitely time to start thinking for himself again.

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 361. Donate

1000 - 48. Dossier


	9. SteveTonyBucky

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** Established SteveTonyBucky

 **Word Count -** 601

* * *

 **Misunderstanding**

* * *

He's bored, and Tony's been busier than normal lately, and Steve misses him. So he goes to the lab, and he ignored Tony's request for more time to finish up what he's working on, and he distracts his boyfriend.

Steve really doesn't understand what the big deal is.

And so, when Tony shouts at him, Steve shouts back.

And when Tony is literally tugging at his hair in frustration, Steve storms out of the lab instead of soothing him.

…

"Ah, come on, Stevie," Bucky soothed, stroking Steve's back comfortingly. "I know you miss him, but you know how important JARVIS is to him."

Steve blinked. "What?"

"JARVIS," Bucky repeated, frowning. "He told us that he was going to be busy for a while, there was a glitch with the coding to bring JARVIS back, and he needed to rewrite most of the code from memory. It's no surprise he got made when you distracted him from that, is it?"

"When… when did he tell us that?" Steve asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach. He knew how much Tony loved JARVIS, his first and longest serving AI. Steve knew that while Tony did indeed love all of his creations, many of them didn't take up even a fraction of his heart like Jarvis did.

"The day before he disappeared into the lab," Bucky said slowly.

"Shit," Steve muttered. "I must not have been paying attention."

"We'll fix it, Stevie. Don't worry, you know Tony doesn't stay mad for long."

Steve leant into Bucky, nuzzling his head into Bucky's neck. "Doesn't make me feel any less of a heel though."

…

A few hours later, Bucky tugged Steve into the elevator and headed down to the lab, hoping to find Tony at a better stopping point than Steve had earlier in the day.

What they didn't expect to find was Tony slumped in his seat, tears on his cheeks and a small smile on his face.

"Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes are here to see you, Sir."

Steve gasped, and Bucky raised his eyebrow at the British accent. He hadn't been around to meet JARVIS, but Steve and Tony had both mentioned him numerous times.

Tony turned in his chair, offering them both a tired smile.

"I'm sorry about earlier, Steve," he offered, before raising his hand to block a yawn. "I just—"

"I get it," Steve said, cutting him off. "I didn't realise you were working on JARVIS' code, I'm sorry too."

Tony reached out and made grabby hands for them, and Bucky pushed Steve a step in front of him. As much as he loved sleepy Tony, Bucky figured that Steve probably needed a hug from their genius first.

"Are you all finished now, Sweetheart?" Steve asked quietly, as he wrapped his arms around Tony.

"Uh huh," Tony confirmed, squirming closer.

"How about we get you to bed then, hmm? Think you could take a nap and have a snuggle with Buck and I?"

Tony nodded and reached out for Bucky, who went willingly. He could tell Tony was dead on his feet, and while Bucky would prefer he eat, he knew sleep would have to take precedence this time.

"Come on, Doll," he murmured, helping Tony onto his feet. When he swayed, Steve lifted him into a bridal carry, taking his weight with barely any effort.

Bucky followed a step behind, a smile on his face. He'd missed Tony as much as Steve had, and spending a few hours wrapped up around their genius seemed like an absolutely perfect way to spend the evening.

(Spoiler - It absolutely was).

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 9. Fraction

1000 - 31. Glitch.


	10. TonyBucky

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** TonyBucky

 **Word Count -** 1545

* * *

 **Okay? Okay**

* * *

He didn't think his heart was _actually_ broken, no matter how excruciating the pain. Anatomy didn't work that way, despite the flowery words people used to describe break-ups.

Heartbroken.

Nope. Hearts don't break simply because you get dumped. That's not how that works.

Tony knows all of that, and yet, it doesn't make it hurt any less. He can still feel his heart beating, steady as it's ever been.

Tony isn't really sure what he's supposed to do. Is he supposed to cry? Get drunk? Find someone else to share a bed with?

He doesn't really want to do any of those.

He doesn't know what he wants to do.

It's hard, because he can't even be angry about it. Pep was right to break up with him. It wasn't like he was a good boyfriend, and really, Pepper deserved better than him. He didn't _blame_ her.

He did the only thing he could think of. He locked himself away in the lab at the family mansion, and he buried himself in technology, because it's the only thing he'd ever had that hasn't betrayed him, and he hid.

…

"Sir, Captain Rogers is on the line for you."

Tony frowned. He hadn't heard from Steve for months, not since the whole Ultron disaster.

"Take a message, J," Tony instructed.

There was a pause, and then, "He's rather insistent he talk to you, Sir."

Tony huffed. "Fine. Put him through."

…

A distraction was just what Tony needed, not that he'd tell Steve that. Taking care of Steve's murder kitten of a best friend was a nice break from the monotony of his life though, so Tony wasn't complaining.

Barnes moved into the mansion with Tony, while Steve remained at the compound with the other Avengers, trying to work his way through the logistics of the breakdown of S.H.I.E.L.D, and getting a pardon for Barnes.

He visited occasionally, during which times Tony made himself scarce, because he didn't have it in him to perform at the moment. He knew what Steve expected of him, knew what everyone expected of him, but he didn't have the energy for it anymore.

Just… just for a little while, he wanted to just… not.

…

"You're not what I expected," Barnes muttered one evening, when Tony joined him in the living room for a movie.

"Oh?" Tony asked, distracted.

"Steve… he said you were… larger than life."

Tony sighed. "Being larger than life take a lot of effort," he replied, quietly. "Being Iron Man means I have to be larger than life I suppose. And the press and the public expect Tony Stark to be… Tony Stark. When I'm at home… I guess I'm just Tony. Sorry to disappoint."

Bucky shook his head. "I like just Tony."

…

"How's Pepper?" Steve asked, during a surprise visit that Tony hadn't been able to escape from.

Things were awkward between Steve and Tony, never quite resolved from the Ultron mess, and Tony would have preferred to have avoided the whole thing entirely.

He shrugged non-committedly.

"She's fine, I guess."

Steve frowned.

"You guess?"

"She's in Malibu," Tony said on a huff. "Not here. So, I guess she's okay, but I haven't seen her for a few months, so I don't actually know."

"Oh. I, uh, I'm sorry to hear that, Tony."

"Sure thing, Cap. I'll leave you two to it."

"You can stay," Bucky said quietly, the first thing he'd said since Steve's arrival. "You… you should stay."

"Sorry, Elsa, I've got work to do. I'll see you later."

…

"Bucky? Bucky, you're safe, okay?" Tony murmured, sitting close by the soldier but making sure to keep a little space between them. "Breathe with me, Elsa, come on."

Steve watched on with raised eyebrows as Bucky's breathing started to even out.

"I'm going to touch your hand, okay?"

When Bucky nodded, Tony gently picked his hand up and pressed it against Tony's chest, right above the Arc Reactor.

Tony turned to Steve and raised his eyebrow. "What happened?"

"We were sparring," Steve replied quietly. "He, I… I don't know."

Tony nodded. "Don't worry about it, Steve. He's okay, aren't you, Frosty?"

Bucky looked up to meet his eyes and huffed a laugh. "I'm okay," he repeated.

Tony was impressed. He even sounded like he believed it. Steve nodded but Tony could still see the guilt in his eyes.

…

"You're good for him."

"Eh?"

Tony turned around to see Steve standing behind him. They'd only intended to be at the compound for a day, but Steve's puppy eyes had done their work, and one day had turned into a weekend.

Tony had escaped onto the balcony, unused to so many people around after spending so long in the solitude of the mansion.

"Bucky," Steve clarified. "You're good for him. He's doing so much better than he was when I first found him, and as far as I can tell, a lot of that is you."

"Nah. He just needed space is all."

Steve snorted. "He orbits around you, you know. He follows you with his eyes, and if he can't find you in a room, he tenses up."

"I… don't know what you're looking for here, Steve," Tony admitted. He leant back against the balcony railing.

"He's good for you too," Steve said then, his head tilting to the side. "I just… I guess, I wanted you to know that I'm happy that you have each other. And that, well, I'm good with it; not that you need my permission or anything—"

"I'm glad you clarified that, Punk," Bucky said, leaning against the door. "Because I don't remember asking for permission."

"Buck," Steve murmured, rolling his eyes.

Tony watched the exchange, completely baffled. "I, uh, I'm lost."

Bucky snorted. "Just Stevie getting ahead of himself, Doll, don't worry about it."

"I, uh." Tony shook his head. "I'm going to go talk to Nat."

…

"I love you, Doll. You know that, right?"

They were relaxing together on the sofa, Tony with his head on Bucky's lap. He blinked.

"Uh?"

Bucky chuckled. "Do you have any idea how much I want to kiss you?"

Tony shook his head, wide eyed. "I'm gonna go with no. I… This is a bad idea, Elsa. Really bad. Shockingly bad."

"Why?"

"I'm not good at… things. Relationship things. Pepper knows me better than anyone in the world and even she couldn't deal with my shit."

"Maybe she knew you too well," Bucky replied quietly. "Or maybe she knew Tony from years ago, instead of Tony from now? Either way, it doesn't matter. I'm not Pepper, Tony."

"No. No you're not. That doesn't mean I'll be any better at relationship-ing with you than I was with her."

"You realise we've been dating for months, right?"

"Um. No? I would have noticed that, Buckaroo."

"We eat out together. We eat in together. We watch movies together. We go to events together. _We cuddle on the couch together._ What about that isn't a relationship?"

Tony pushed himself into a sitting position, turning to face Bucky. "I… am I taking up too much of your time? I don't… if you're not happy or if—"

"Calm down, Doll. If anything, I want _more_ of your time. I love you, Tony. If this, what we already have, is the limit of what you want, then that's more than okay too, you know? I'm not saying anything has to change. I'm just… making sure you know that I'm open to… whatever you want, okay?"

"I… okay. Um."

"Lie back down, Doll. You were keeping my legs warm."

…

Tony couldn't sleep. It had been two days since Bucky had turned his life upside down, and his mind had been whirling ever since. He hadn't even been able to focus on his work the whole day in the lab, and had ended up sprawled on the sofa with Bucky again, another movie playing on the screen.

Even then though, with Bucky leant against him, Tony hadn't been able to settle. And now, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling.

He wanted what Bucky had offered. He craved it with every single part of him.

He just… wasn't sure about taking it.

Throwing the covers off him with a huff, he climbed out of bed. He thought about going to the living room but…

He padded down the hallway and pushed open the door to Bucky's room instead. Bucky's eyes opened immediately and he half sat up, eyes on the door.

"Doll?"

"Hey, Buck."

"You okay?"

"I just…" Tony huffed at himself, unable to put his thoughts into sentences. He was exhausted and frustrated, and he just wanted to cuddle.

"Come ere, Tony," Bucky said, lifting the sheets.

Tony crawled into the bed and fit himself against Bucky, tucking his head under Bucky's chin. Bucky dropped the quilt over him and wrapped his arms around Tony, holding him securely against his broad chest.

"You're a daft sod, Tony."

"Hmm?"

"You've been stressing about this, haven't you?"

Tony felt his cheeks heat and pressed his head closer to Bucky's chest.

Bucky chuckled. "Go to sleep."

Tony nodded, closing his eyes. "I love you too, you know?"

"I know, Doll. I know."

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 142. Heart

1000 - 147. Break up


	11. TonySteve 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** TonySteve

 **Word Count -** 953

(Set in a world where nothing hurts and the team is family).

* * *

 **Relationship Rules**

* * *

"I swear, you do it just to make me angry sometimes! I can't deal with you right now," Steve snapped, whirling around. "I'll see you in a few days."

Tony watched Steve walk away with a sinking feeling in his stomach. Steve was heading out on a mission for S.H.I.E.L.D and would be gone for at least three days if not longer.

Tony hadn't even meant to cause an argument, he'd just lost track of time. He did that. Steve knew he did that and he'd even said it didn't really bother him.

Shaking himself out of his mind, Tony followed after Steve quickly, wanting to apologise before Steve left. They'd promised to never go to bed angry at each other and it had been working well for them for almost a year.

Tony didn't want to lose that. He didn't want to lose Steve.

By the time he got up to the landing deck, it was to see the Quinjet just going out of sight on the horizon. Tony slumped back against the wall and watched it go.

…

Steve was so ready to get home and snuggle with Tony. He knew he had to apologise to the genius when he got back to the tower. He'd been grumpy because he was going to be away for a few days, and he'd unfairly taken it out on Tony.

He hoped Tony was feeling forgiving. Steve just wanted to settle down with a takeaway, a movie, and a warm Tony in his lap and relax.

He got out of the elevator on the common floor, hoping to find Tony there. It was always easier to tempt him up to the penthouse from the common floor than it was from the workshop after all.

"Oh, thank Christ you're back," Clint said, when Steve walked into the kitchen. Natasha and Bruce both perked up at that, and Steve frowned with concern when the relief in their eyes was palpable.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"Tony," Bruce said, rubbing his face tiredly. "Hasn't slept since you left. We've been managing to get him to snack and drink occasionally, but he's refused each and every attempt to get him to sleep."

Steve gaped at them. "I've been away for _four days._ "

"We know," Clint agreed, rubbing his own eyes tiredly. "We've been taking shifts but I don't know how he's doing it. I'm sure he's more than human."

"He's in the lab?" Steve asked, already walking back towards the elevator when Natasha confirmed that Tony was indeed in the lab.

"What the hell have you been doing to yourself, Tony?" Steve muttered as the elevator doors closed.

…

The glass doors on the lab opened to welcome Steve as he walked up the corridor. When he entered, it was to find Tony standing in the middle of the lab, a screwdriver in his hand and his face scrunched a little in confusion.

He looked… adorable.

"Tony?" Steve murmured, keeping his voice soft so he didn't startle him too much.

Tony turned his head, and even in his tired and confused state, his eyes brightened when he saw Steve.

"You're home," he gasped.

"I am. I hear you haven't been sleeping since I left?" Steve asked, stepping closer, warming from the inside out when Tony immediately stepped into the offered embrace.

Steve could feel him trembling slightly.

"Couldn't," Tony agreed.

"You gonna tell me why?"

Tony burrowed his face against Steve's chest and didn't answer.

"Tony?"

"We promised we wouldn't," Tony muttered. It was only the serum that meant Steve could hear him at all.

"Promised we wouldn't what, sweetheart?"

Tony pulled back to look up at Steve, and his bottom lip quivered slightly.

"We promised we'd never go to bed mad," Tony said quietly. "You were mad at me, so I couldn't go to bed. I don't want to lose you."

"Oh sweetheart," Steve whispered, pressing his lips to Tony's temple. "I'm so sorry, Tony. I shouldn't have snapped at you like I did, you did nothing wrong."

"You… I… I don't remember," Tony admitted after a minute. "But you were mad."

"I was being a grumpy jerk and I took it out on you," Steve murmured.

Tony frowned but didn't argue. "Feel a little… woozy," he admitted, clutching at Steve. The trembling in Tony's limbs was getting worse, so Steve bent his back and scooped his boyfriend up into a bridal carry.

"Come on, sweetheart, let's get you to bed," he murmured.

Tony, proving just how tired he was, nodded and laid his head against Steve's shoulder without so much as a word of protest. That had literally never happened before, and Steve couldn't help but feel guilty.

This was his fault.

Jarvis directed the elevator up to the penthouse, and Steve stepped out and headed straight for the bedroom. He'd been hoping to get a shower, and perhaps convince Tony in with him, but the genius was in no state.

He carefully pulled the sheets back before he sat Tony down, and bit by bit, helped him out of his clothes. Once Tony was almost naked, he laid him down carefully and pulled the sheets over him. When he moved to step back, Tony reached out a hand.

"Don't go."

"I'm just getting undressed, sweetheart," Steve promised.

They could shower when they woke up, after all. He quickly stripped and climbed into the bed on his side, shifting further to the middle until he ended up with an armful of sleepy Tony curling around him, getting as close as possible.

It might not be takeaway and a movie, Steve thought as he kissed Tony's head, but this was still perfect.

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 34. Human

1000 - 7. Woozy


	12. TonySteve 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** TonySteve

 **Word Count -** 852

(Spoilers for Civil War, and also disregards anything post Civil War)

* * *

 **Worth It**

* * *

"I'm sorry," Steve whispered. There were tears in his eyes and Tony could see, could believe, that Steve genuinely felt remorse.

He'd thought that would help.

It didn't.

"Saying you're sorry doesn't fix anything," he replied quietly. "I can't do this."

He stood and left the room.

He didn't look back.

…

"I'm not an Avenger any more, Rogers," Tony snapped, shaking his head. "I don't need to live at the Compound."

"I disagree," Steve replied firmly. "No matter what happened, you'll always be an Avenger. The Compound is as much your home as it is everyone else's."

Tony rubbed at his temple. "I brought you all home. I got you pardons and I fixed the accords. What more do you want from me?"

"I want you to come home," Steve implored. "I want you to give me a chance to make this better."

"I can't."

"Can't or won't?"

…

"You came."

Tony looked up to see Steve standing beside him, battered and bruised but already healing from the fight.

"You sent out the distress call. Did you expect me to ignore it?"

"I never know what to expect from you, Tony. You always exceed my expectations."

"I might not be an Avenger—"

"You are."

"—but that doesn't mean I want any of you to be hurt. Especially not if I'm in a position to help."

…

"Happy Birthday, Cap."

Steve grinned as Tony handed over a box. He hadn't expected Tony to come to the birthday party, but he was glad to see the other man.

He unwrapped the present, eyes widening when he saw what was inside.

"Tony—"

"Don't mention it."

"Tony—"

"Really. Don't mention it, please."

"I… thank you, Tony."

"Uh huh."

The photo of Steve with his mum took pride of place in his bedroom from that night on, the silver frame gleaming in the light.

…

"I still love you."

"Don't do this, Steve."

"I had to tell you. Had to take the chance that you felt the same, that you still—" he choked off, unable to finish the sentence.

Tony wiped a hand over his face and seemed to slump back against the wall. "We've been getting on alright, haven't we?"

Steve nodded. It was true, they had. They could be in the same place for hours at a time without arguing, which had seemed impossible when the Avengers had first returned to the US.

"I miss _us,_ Tony."

"Me too."

…

"He'll be okay," Rhodey said quietly. "He's strong."

Steve sat motionless beside the hospital bed, the _beepbeepbeep_ of the machine echoing in his mind.

"What if he's not?" he whispered, the words slipping past his lips without his permission.

"He will be. He has to be."

…

"Oh, Jesus, you've got the Cap-on-a-mission face on. What's gone wrong?" Tony asked, looking up from where he was laying on the sofa, a tablet resting on his chest. He was still healing from his latest stint in the hospital, so he really hoped that whatever was wrong could be fixed without movement.

"Do you still love me, Tony?"

Tony frowned. "What?"

"Do you still love me?"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"I'm tired of letting things go, or waiting too long," Steve said, kneeling down on the floor by the sofa. "And I love you. I love you, and I don't want to lose you, and I don't want to wait too long to have you back in my arms if that's where you want to be."

"Steve—"

"If you don't, it's fine. We can forget I ever asked and—"

"Of course I still love you," Tony interrupted. "I never stopped, not even when I tried to force myself to hate you instead. I just… Steve, we're not good for each other. Look what happens when we fight! We don't just fight like normal people, innocents get hurt!"

"That was a one of a kind situation with a lot of mitigating factors that will never be repeated," Steve argued. He chanced reaching out to take Tony's hand, feeling a spark of hope when Tony allowed him to link their fingers together.

"And what happens when the next mitigating factors arrive?" Tony asked quietly. "What happens when we disagree on something else? What happens when I get left alone again to deal with the mess that we've created?"

Steve shook his head vehemently. "No," he said. "It won't… I won't let that happen again. I love you. I love you and I need you, and I won't let it get that far. I promise, Tony. I can't promise you that we'll never argue, or even that we won't ever break up, but I promise you that what happened won't ever be repeated."

A single tear tracked down Tony's cheek. "I'm scared, Steve."

Steve pressed a gently kiss to the back of Tony's hand. "Me too. That's how I know it's worth it."

…

"You look happy," Bucky said quietly, watching Steve with a small smile on his face.

Steve glanced down at the genius sleeping on his chest. "I don't think I've ever been happier."

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 14. Disagree

1000 - 229. "Saying you're sorry doesn't fix anything."


	13. SteveTonyBucky 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- SteveTonyBucky

 **Word Count** \- 682

* * *

 **The Spy-y-est Spy of Them All**

* * *

"Oh, come on!" Tony complained, throwing his hands up in the air. "This is _not_ urgent, dammit! You can let us get a shower and food first!"

Even Steve had set his shield down against his legs and was glaring at Fury. Bucky didn't even bother to argue. He passed the spy and wrapped his arm around Tony's shoulders.

"Come on, Doll. Let's go and get cleaned up."

"Sergeant Barnes!" Fury snapped. "Debrief room, immediately."

"Bucky and Tony are right, Sir," Clint argued. "That was a hell of a fight and none of us are going to be able to concentrate if we're stuck in our uniforms and we're all half starved."

Fury pinched his brow. "Fine. An hour. Go. And don't be late!" He added, glaring at Tony's retreating back.

…

Bucky gently ran the sponge over Tony's cuts and blossoming bruises. In a few hours, the man would be entirely black and blue. Bucky hated it. He hated that while he healed in hours, Tony would be aching for days or even weeks.

"Hey, it's not as bad as it looks," Tony said, resting his hand on Bucky's cheek. "Seriously. I bruise easily, that's all."

"Uh huh," Bucky replied, far from agreeing but not wanting to argue with Tony. They only had so long, and he was determined to get some food into the genius before they had to debrief.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Don't you 'uh huh' me, Frosty. I am _fine._ "

Bucky pressed a kiss to Tony's temple. "Kay, babe."

When Tony stepped out of the shower, it was into Steve' arms, and a towel already heated up. He pressed a kiss to Steve's jaw.

"You're sure you're okay?" Steve asked, eyeing a particularly large bruise on Tony's shoulder.

Tony nodded. "I'm sure."

Steve eyed him for a moment before he nodded. "Okay. I trust that you'd tell us if anything was really wrong with you."

Tony smiled. In fairness, that was a lot. To anyone else, it would be obvious, but Tony didn't have the best track record of admitting when he was injured or sick.

He pressed a second kiss to Steve's jaw. "I love you."

"I love you too, Tony."

…

"Are you all ready to actually work now?" Fury asked, as the Avengers trailed into the debrief room.

Tony snorted at his attitude and took his usual seat between Bucky and Steve. He'd changed into comfortable sweats, an old t-shirt, and an emerald green hoodie that belonged to one of his soldiers. They enjoyed seeing him in their clothes, and honestly, Tony was always at his most comfortable surrounded by their scent.

"It's not like it went badly, Nick," Natasha said as she sat down. "It was a successful mission."

"And yet, when you all walked through the door, every single one of you looked like the walking wounded!"

Tony blinked. "You're being an asshole because you're worried about us?"

Fury's glare intensified and Tony grinned.

"You're my best team," Fury replied tersely. "And I need to know when you're injured or if you need medical attention. Since none of you are very good at communication, this is how we have to do things."

"We're fine," Steve said, pointing at himself, Bucky and Tony. "Tony has flesh wounds and bruises, but nothing overly serious. Buck and I are already almost fully healed."

"I'm grand," Clint said. "Maybe a wrist sprain, but Nat's already wrapped it."

"Two cuts that don't require stitching and minor bruising," Natasha reported on herself, shrugging elegantly. "Certainly nothing that needs attention."

Fury eyed Bruce then as the only one who hadn't spoken.

Bruce shook his head. "I wasn't even needed, I stayed in the jet."

With a final glance over them all, Fury nodded and swept from the room. They could all hear him muttering about pain in the ass heroes who were too stubborn for their own good.

Tony chucked. "Who knew the spy-y-est spy of them all had a heart buried under all that glaring?"

Bucky laughed. "Spy-y-est?"

Tony shrugged. "I'm still hungry. Pizza?"

"Pizza," the team echoed.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Angel's Arcade - Link; "Oh, come on!" / Emerald Green / Shield

Amber's Attic - 19. Write about a spy

365\. 27. Urgent

1000\. 930. Love


	14. TonyClint 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom_

 **Pairing** \- TonyClint

 **Word Count** \- 913

* * *

 **The Nature Of The Job**

* * *

Tony couldn't settle to anything. He was fidgeting, his fingers tapping restlessly against his leg, and he knew he was annoying them all. He couldn't help it. Natasha seemed to be the only one who understood.

She sat beside him, occasionally squeezing his wrist in comfort. He appreciated her, he really did, but hers wasn't the touch he craved.

Clint had been missing for four days. He hadn't checked in with S.H.I.E.L.D at his designated time, and nobody had heard anything from him. Natasha had already asked to be sent out to find him, but Fury and Coulson were so far holding them off.

Tony would give it another day. Just one more, before he said to hell with it and went out to find Clint himself. It already felt wrong, leaving one of their own out there without backup, and Tony didn't like it.

This, right here, was why Tony didn't like teams.

Teams were a liability because they made you care. They made you love them, and that made you unable to think things through clearly. It added emotions to an already fraught job.

"Sir, Agent Barton has arrived at S.H.I.E.L.D," JARVIS intoned suddenly. "He appears to be in fair health, only minor injuries detected."

Tony didn't think he'd ever been so relieved in his life. "Thanks, J," he murmured, sharing a look with Natasha.

"You'd think they'd have given us a courtesy call that he's back, wouldn't you?" Tony said, shaking his head. "Assholes."

"They probably knew you had JARVIS watching," Natasha replied with a small smirk. "They know what you're like, now, Tony."

Tony rolled his eyes.

Steve, Bucky, Sam and Bruce all seemed to relax a little into their seats, and it was only then that Tony noticed they'd been tense too. He supposed, now that they knew Clint was in fact fine, it was easier to see past his own fear.

Of course, none of them, again with the probably exception of Natasha, knew that to Tony, Clint was much more than a teammate. They hadn't gone out of their way to hide their relationship, but they also hadn't announced it.

Neither of them were the kinds of men to buy into PDA, so nobody had noticed anything different between them. Tony thought that it was because as tight knit as the team were, cuddling on the couch or leaning all over one another to watch a movie wasn't exactly outside of the norm for them all.

Tony's impatience remained as they waited for Clint to come home. He fiddled on his tablet, his focus a little better now that he knew Clint was okay. He heard the lift ding and then footsteps.

Natasha was out of her seat and berating Clint before she'd even reached him, hitting his arm when he stretched them out for a hug. Tony snorted at her.

The others welcomed him back, asked if he was okay. Bruce even asked if he wanted anything to eat. Tony kept his attention on his tablet.

He knew that if he let himself get swept up in Clint's return in front of the others, he was likely to embarrass himself.

Clint slumped down on the sofa beside him. "I'm back," he announced.

Tony chuckled at the redundancy of the statement. "I can see that. What do you want me to do, dress in drag and dance the hula?"

Clint barked out a laugh. "Yes. That's exactly what I want you to do."

"Asshole," Tony muttered, his tone entirely too fond. "Now that we all know you're still amongst the living, I'm heading to the lab. See you later, Legolas."

…

Tony rubbed his eyes tiredly. He hadn't slept much over the past few days, worry eating him up and keeping him awake. He was exhausted, but he had work to catch up on that he hadn't done.

He'd made some headway on it though, and decided it was definitely time to try and get some sleep. He stepped into the elevator wearily and instructed JARVIS to take him to the penthouse.

He didn't expect to step into his bedroom to find Clint lounging on the bed, wearing one of Tony's charcoal grey jumpers and his boxers, his hands behind his head.

"Can I assist you with something?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrow.

Clint smirked. "Ohhh, that's an open question if ever I heard one. Get in bed, Tones."

Tony rolled his eyes but left for the bathroom, quickly cleaning himself up and changing into a clean shirt and sweatpants.

When he returned to the bedroom, Clint had burrowed himself under the quilt and had JARVIS dim the lights. Tony climbed into his own side of the bed, and immediately, Clint had his hand on Tony's arm, tugging him closer.

Tony sank into the contact, shifting until he was lying with his head on Clint's chest.

"You're not allowed to do shit like this," he muttered. "I have a heart condition, Clint! You can't stress me out this way!"

Clint just pulled him closer. "I'm sorry. I really am. I came back as soon as I could."

He didn't promise he wouldn't do it again, because neither of them could assure that. They both worked in dangerous jobs, and the nature of that job meant that they couldn't promise to always come home at the end of the day.

"I missed you," Tony admitted.

Clint pressed a kiss to his temple. "I missed you too, honey."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney; D4. "What do you want me to do, dress in drag and dance the hula?"

Angel's Arcade: Midna - Assist / Charcoal grey / Hitting someone/something

365 - 28. Courtesy.

1000 - 929. Relieved.


	15. Tony&Steve

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing -** Gen, Tony&Steve, can be read as preslash

 **Word count -** 899

* * *

 **Time To Come Home**

* * *

Steve accepted the letter, his heart beating faster in his chest. T'Challa clapped his shoulder.

"I believe this is a letter you will appreciate," he murmured as he left. Steve's hands trembled slightly as he turned the envelope over to see the familiar writing on the front of it.

He'd long given up hope of ever getting a reply to the letter he'd sent to Tony almost a year ago, but now that it was finally here, the anxiety of what the reply would contain was real.

He opened it slowly and pulled the paper free, surprised to find the letter handwritten, rather than typed. With a deep breath, Steve opened the paper and started to read.

 _Steve,_

 _I've started this letter a million times, and I always start well and then just… ramble off into nonsense. I suppose it's not much different from when I'm talking, right? Nothing changes, not even that._

 _But things have changed, haven't they?_

 _For a start, you're not here. I guess, after that first battle, I thought you'd always be here. Captain America, forever reliable. I think I forgot that you're also Steve Rogers. I think I forgot that you're a human being and not a robot soldier without feelings. Strange how easy it is to confuse the two when you're a superhero, right?_

 _It's been… a really long time since I've seen you. Too long, I think, because I've forgotten what your smile looks like._

 _Alright, that's a lie. I haven't forgotten what your smile looks like because your smile outshines literally everything else in a room._

 _Look at what your absence has done to me! You've turned me into a sappy shit._

 _I wish things had happened differently. It was a really sucky set of circumstances, and nobody is blameless. Usually I'd take the blame, because let's be honest, usually it's my fault, but… not this time, Steve._

 _You were at fault as much as I was._

 _Sometimes, you have to use your words instead of punching your way through a situation and… well. I guess that's a lesson we all need to learn, right?_

 _I thought… when I came to Siberia, I hoped I could convince you to let me take you in, because at least if I did it, I could keep you both safe. I really did come to you as a friend, Steve._

 _What that bastard showed me, well, I played right into his plan, didn't I? Gave him exactly what he wanted. So that was on me, I admit it._

 _The accords… I know you don't like them. Honestly, I even understand why you don't like them, but we need accountability, Steve. I know T'Challa has showed you the new accords, and I know you've all agreed to sign them, so I won't go on about them. It's done, and I'm so sick of thinking about them, I'd just rather forget that whole part of the mess._

 _You… why didn't you tell me? It's the only thing I'm still stuck on. If you'd told me, I would have had time to process. Time to get drunk, maybe pick a fight with Rhodey so he could beat my ass into submission. Just… to have it thrown at me that way, and to find out that you knew about it… I didn't deserve that._

 _You've always been a better person than me, Steve, but that… that was cruel._

 _I know it wasn't Barnes' fault. I know that he was brainwashed, that he didn't chose to murder my mother. I know it's on Hydra, and nobody else._

 _See what happens with time to process these things?_

 _The letter you sent me after it happened… I'm going to hope that you were still scrambled in the brain, honestly. That letter wasn't you. I have to cling to that, because the Steve I know? He'd have apologised and that letter wasn't an apology. The Steve I know admits when he fucks up._

 _I… am rambling. Again. But you know what, I'm going to send this letter anyway, because I'm sick to death of overthinking all of this. It's been a year, and a year is too long to still be angsting over something._

 _Seriously, I'm a busy man, I don't take a year to do anything._

 _The end result, is that I miss you. I hope that maybe you miss me too. The end result is that it's time to come home, Steve._

 _I know you said that if I ever need you, you'll be here, but… I don't need you. I want you though, and I'm hoping that's enough. The pardons should be cleared and on their way to Wakanda by the time you get this letter, and… I suppose that me hitting the ball into your court._

 _The compound is, and always will be, open to you. All of you._

 _Yours,_

 _Tony_

Steve read the letter once, twice and a third time. He didn't realise he was crying until a tear splashed down onto the page, smudging the ink there.

"You okay?"

Steve turned to see Bucky leaning against the doorway, concern on his face. He didn't look surprised by the letter in Steve's hands, which led Steve to believe that T'Challa had sent him to check on Steve.

"I'm fine," he replied, holding the letter up. "More than fine, actually. We… we're going home, Buck. We're going home."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney; T4. Write about someone feeling like they're better or worse than someone else.

Showtime; 3. Outshine

Basement; 5. Albert Fish - Write a letter fic.

365 - 31. Convince

1000 - 928. Anxious


	16. TonySteve & TonyBucky (V)

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- SteveTony and BuckyTony, (V relationship)

 **Word Count** \- 1310

* * *

 **What Else Could He Say?**

* * *

He closed the lid of the piano carefully and took a deep breath. A slow clap from the doorway startled him, and he turned quickly to see Bucky leaning casually against the door frame.

"I didn't know you played, Doll," he murmured, stepping further into the room.

Tony nodded turning back to the piano. "It's not a skill I advertise."

"Why not? You're really good at it."

Tony stood from the low bench and turned to face the super soldier, forcing a smile to his face. "I guess it's just something private. Anyway, what can I do for you, Elsa?"

"Steve and I are going to grab burgers. Thought you might want to come with us?" Bucky replied, frowning slightly. He glanced at the piano again, but thankfully said nothing more about it. "We're going to that little diner you love."

Tony wanted to decline, he really did, but his mouth was agreeing before he could. "Just let me change and I'll meet you in the garage in ten."

Bucky smiled at him, a true smile that had taken months to come out after he'd arrived at the tower. Tony couldn't help himself, and he returned the smile. Thankfully, Bucky seemed to take the hint and left quickly, leaving Tony on his own.

Tony watched him go with a wistful sigh. He didn't know why he continued to torture himself by spending time with the two soldiers, he really didn't. Not that they ever made him feel like a third wheel or anything; if anything, they made extra effort to ensure he was always included in their conversations.

He just… Tony was proudly bisexual, and he'd long been notorious for his playboy antics; although perhaps not so much in the last few years. Upon first meeting him, he'd found Steve as attractive as he was obnoxious, but he'd brushed away the thought. No way was he going to be the asshole executed for desecrating a national treasure.

Then they'd become friends, and Tony… Tony didn't want to ruin that. So he kept it in the friendzone, refused to let himself think about anything more and when Bucky was found, Tony was entirely too happy that he'd done so.

Not that they were together, but Steve and Bucky had a bond like none Tony had ever seen. They were best friends, sure, but they were more than that. It was almost like they were an extension of each other.

Tony didn't want to have to compete with that, and he would have felt the need, had he allowed himself to give into the desire for more with Steve.

You know, if Steve had actually wanted him in return, which Tony had plenty of doubts about.

Oddly enough, Steve hadn't forgotten about Tony's existence once his compadre was found. If anything, he'd spent more time with Tony, the two of them spending far too much time distracting Tony from his work and his responsibilities.

Case in point, Tony had a long to-do list to crack on with in his workshop, and yet, he was changing into jeans and a clean shirt to go eat with them instead.

He checked his reflection in the mirror and strapped a watch around his wrist and his repulsor bracelet around the other.

While he was often at his most relaxed around Steve and Bucky, he still felt more secure knowing he could defend himself _and them,_ if the situation warranted it.

"Sir, Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes are waiting for you," JARVIS announced.

Tony nodded. "Tell them I'm on my way, J."

…

The diner really was tiny. Everything about it appealed to Tony, from the little booths, to the fake flowers on every table, and honestly, they did the best milkshakes in New York.

"Know what you're getting?" Bucky asked, as the three of them perused the menus.

Tony rolled his eyes. "I think even the waitress knows what I want by now, Frosty."

"Strawberry milkshake, cheeseburger and fries," Steve said dryly.

Grinning, Tony shrugged. "What can I say? I had to be predictable at one thing in my life, right?"

The waitress came and took their orders, and Bucky and Steve fell into conversation, quickly dragging Tony into a rather spirited discussion about who would win in a fight between the Hulk and Thor. It was a conversation they'd had before, and one they'd undoubtedly have again.

Steve pretended to be disapproving about them wanting to see their teammates duke it out, but Tony knew for a fact that he thought Thor would win a battle between them. Bucky was firmly on Tony's side that the Hulk would be the one victorious.

The food arrived, and Tony dug into his fries happily. It was then he noticed that Steve and Bucky seemed to be having a silent conversation with their eyes. Suddenly not hungry, Tony looked away.

He'd never known what it was to feel lonely when surrounded by people he loved, but when the two of them did this, he'd learned very quickly.

"Food okay, Tones?" Steve asked, his voice gentle.

"Yeah," Tony replied dully. "It's fine. I guess I'm just not as hungry as I thought I was."

Bucky frowned and cleared his throat. "Actually Tony, we uh, we brought you here because we wanted to ask you something."

Tony looked up to meet their eyes, looking from one to the other. "You know you don't have to buy me food to ask me a question, right?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "Of course we know that."

"We… we want to date you. You know. Properly," Bucky said, before Tony could say anything else.

Tony blinked. Of anything they could have said, that would have been at the bottom of the list had Tony had to guess. Hell, it wouldn't have even made the list.

"But… you two… you're not… together, are you? Did I miss that? Have I been third-wheeling dates?"

Steve chuckled. "No, we're not together. We both want you though, and we're more than happy to share with each other if you… if it's something you want."

"I, uh," Tony was at a loss for words. "I don't even know where to begin with that. How does that even work?"

"You date Bucky," Steve said with a warm smile. "And you date me. At the same time."

"I mean, I got that but… why?"

It was their turn to look bewildered.

"What do you mean?" Bucky asked.

"Why would either of you want to date me?" Tony asked, as though it was an obvious objection, which, in his mind, it was. They were perfect and he was… problematic at best, a lot of the time.

"Why wouldn't we?" Bucky asked, still confused. "You're handsome, beyond smart, you're kind and generous, you care so much about the people around you, Doll. What's not to like?"

"Um, I'm an insomniac workaholic that can't follow orders. I'm sarcastic to a fault, dismissive, selfish and narcissistic. Also, I'm a terrible boyfriend. Ask Pep for a reference if you don't believe me."

Steve blinked. "Okay, no. What you are, is ridiculously insecure, apparently. Tony… we love you. If you don't want to date us, it's okay, but don't… don't let yourself talk yourself out of it because you think you're doing it for our sake. We want you, all of you."

"Even when I forget your birthday because I'm on a streak in the lab?"

Bucky chuckled. "Even then, Doll."

"I, uh, don't really know what to say," Tony admitted. Bucky reached out to squeeze his hand carefully with his own metal one.

"Say yes, Tony. We'll treat you good, I promise."

Tony looked at Bucky for a long moment before he turned his gaze to Steve. Both of them looked back with a hopeful look in their eyes.

What else could he say, but "Yes."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney - C2. Write about best friends.

Showtime - 5. Piano

Attic - 8. Write about someone who is proudly bisexual.

Arcade - Marin - Flowers/Gentle/Relaxed

365 - 35. Notorious

1000 - 927. Lonely


	17. Team fic SteveTony

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- Teamfic, with perhaps some SteveTony leanings. Also, Female!Toni in this one, and Identity Porn.

 **Word Count** \- 2161

* * *

 **Secrets**

* * *

She jumped, spinning around to see Steve standing in the doorway. She let out a breath and turned back to the coffee machine.

It was so awkward, having the super soldier back in the compound. After the war with Thanos, after the final battle that had almost killed Iron Man, the rogue Avengers had been welcomed back with open arms.

Not that they knew it had been Toni that almost died, but that was besides the point.

Which was… fine. Everything was fine.

If Toni happened to be spending more time in her workshop than the main floors, that was just because she had a lot to do.

It wasn't because she was avoiding them, so Sir, not at all.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked, voice hesitant.

"Fine," she replied, automatically. The coffee maker was working especially slow, mocking her wish to not be present in the communal kitchen.

"Uh huh. I, uh, haven't seen you or Iron Man much since…"

"I've been busy, Cap, and Iron Man has a life outside of the Avengers. Take it up with him if you're missing him."

"Sure. I'll talk to him. But... I guess I just… worried you were hiding because of us."

"Well, you can stop worrying your pretty little head, because I'm good, and not hiding."

The coffee finally finished trickling into the cup and she snatched it up and wrapped her hands around it. "Catch you later, Cap."

"I'm making pancakes," he said quietly. "You sure you don't want to stick around and eat?"

That was playing dirty, and it hurt. Toni had always loved Cap's pancakes and he knew it. It just brought back memories of when things had been better though, and she couldn't let herself fall back down that wormhole.

She shook her head. "I'm not hungry."

…

"They've been asking me about you," Pepper said, dropping a pile of files on Toni's desk. "They're worried."

Toni looked up at her and frowned. "What?"

"The Avengers. They're worried about you. Think you're working yourself too hard or… well, to be honest, I'm pretty sure they all think you're hiding down here so you don't have to deal with them but… they dressed it up as you're working too hard."

"Why the hell are they coming to you with this?"

Pepper shrugged. "I'm one of the only people that still have access to the workshop, I guess."

"Jesus Christ," Toni muttered, rubbing her temple. "I told Cap the other day that I was busy, not hiding. Why are they pushing this so hard?"

"I think they thought after Thanos, and you let Iron Man work with them to save the world, things would go back to normal."

Toni rolled her eyes. "Sure. Never mind that Steve betrayed my trust. So long as Iron Man can fight with them, everything should be normal."

"Maybe they'd understand more if you told them you were—"

"Hell no," Toni muttered. "Not on your life, Pep. They don't need to know that. If I didn't trust them with it before, I'm sure as hell not going to trust them with it now."

"As much as I hate what Steve did to you, I can't imagine he'd ever tell your secret, Toni."

"Not happening, Pep. I've got to finish this prototype off before the Gala, so if that's all?"

Pepper gave a long suffering sigh but nodded, lightly squeezing Toni's shoulders before she left.

Toni watched her go and then slumped in her seat. Right, tell the team who'd betrayed her that she was in fact Iron Man, and not just their benefactor and techie. Good plan. _Not._

…

Their first fight since Thanos was a _mess._ The team couldn't seem to gather any traction, and the aftermath was even worse.

They sat around the debriefing room, throwing accusations and placing blame on each other.

Toni sat in her suit silently. They were talking in circles, ridiculously so, and she had no desire to get involved. It didn't help that she'd taken a pretty vicious hit to her side and wanted to ice it as soon as possible.

"Iron Man?" Steve asked, when there was finally a lull. "Anything to add?"

"Nope."

"You've been particularly quiet today, Man Of Iron," Thor commented then. "It's most unsettling."

"Sorry, Thor. I just didn't have anything to add."

"You never do these days," Clint muttered, shaking his head. "How are we ever supposed to be a team if we can't even have a conversation?"

"Oh, is that what this was?" Toni asked, riled up by the implication. "Because to me, it seemed more like a public roast. You've all sat around for the last hour, bitching and whining and complaining about who's to blame for what went wrong. Instead of moaning, why don't you make plans to try and fix what went wrong?"

"I don't see you offering up any plans!" Clint replied heatedly.

"Tell me what I did wrong then, Barton. What bad move did I make out there, and I'll give you a plan on how I can fix it and do better next time."

He stared at the suit for a long moment before he looked away.

Toni turned to Steve. "Is that all, Cap? I need to get down to the workshop so Toni can scan the suit for repairs."

Steve sighed but nodded, and Toni stood immediately, leaving the room without a backwards glance.

…

Her left side was black and blue, and she knew she was lucky she hadn't broken her ribs. It still didn't stop it from hurting when she was forced into a day full of meetings for SI.

By the time she returned home, she wanted nothing more than a hot bath and her pyjamas and perhaps a takeaway.

She stopped off at the communal kitchen for a coffee, telling JARVIS to have the bath run for her in her private rooms.

"—and order Thai, J. My usual, I think."

"Of course," he replied smoothly.

The whole team were in the kitchen, sitting around the table while Bruce and Steve worked together to prepare a meal.

"You should join us for dinner instead," Steve said. "There's more than enough to go around. We're going to watch a movie after."

Toni shook her head. "I'm tired, just gonna head to my room for the night."

"You sure?" Bruce asked, looking up.

Toni nodded. She stripped the powder blue jacket of her suit and tossed it over her arm. It was roasting in the kitchen.

She'd forgotten that she'd wrapped her side and her shirt, while meshing well with the suit she'd been wearing, didn't do much to hide the navy wrap.

"What… what did you do?" Bruce asked, all thoughts of cooking forgotten.

She looked down and almost facepalmed at her own idiocy. "Lab accident," she replied, hoping it would be enough to make Bruce back off.

"Do you need to me to check it for you?" he offered, brow furrowed with concern.

She shook her head. "It's fine, Brucie, just a little accident when I was patching up Iron Man's suit is all."

She grabbed her coffee and left the room, patting his shoulder as she did.

…

Feeling much better after her bath, Toni pulled on a cami and loose fitting bottoms, and sat cross legged on her bed with her Thai food and Lord of the Rings playing on the tv. She really didn't want to move when a knock sounded on her door, so she shouted for whoever it was to come in, and paused the movie.

She blinked when she saw Steve. She'd been expecting Bruce, or perhaps Pepper.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, frowning.

"I just wanted to check you were okay. That wrap looked pretty big."

"I'm—"

"Please don't tell me you're fine," he murmured, stepping closer to the bed. "We all know you're not fine. You tell me that you're not hiding from us, but we _never_ see you, Toni. I know I hurt you, I know I fucked up, but how can I make it better if you won't let me near? I miss you, Toni."

"I don't… you don't need to make anything better, Steve. I sent Iron Man to Siberia, and what he saw was unfortunate, and I won't apologise for him being angry on my behalf but… it's fine. It all worked out in the end, right?"

"How can you say _this_ is all worked out? You can barely look at me!"

Toni shook her head. "It's fine, because it can't _be_ anything else, Steve. We're on the same team, and no, I don't trust you any more, but… Iron Man can fight with you, and I can fix all your shit and make you new toys, and it's… it's working, isn't it? I don't need to trust you to make this work, because I'm not in the field with you."

Steve sighed and turned away, but paused when he was at the door with his back to her. "It's not fine, because as a team, we don't just need Iron Man. We need Toni, with her snark, and her sass, and her caring, and her friendship. We miss her on the comms, and we miss her at movie night, and over dinner and we miss her being around.

"You might think we don't know what when Iron Man saves our asses in the field, it's really you that's catching us, or blasting away whatever we're fighting, but we do. We've known it all along. So, no, Toni, it's not fine. It won't be fine until we can sit down and talk about this like the goddamn heroes we're supposed to be."

Leaving her speechless on her bed, Steve left the room and closed the door with a quiet snick.

…

With one of Rhodey's jumpers thrown over her pyjama top, Toni walked slowly towards the communal living room. Steve had left her in a state of shock, and she'd been sitting on her bed since Steve left, mind a mess of half formed thoughts and emotions.

What the hell was she supposed to do with that? They'd known, all along, that it was her in the suit? And not a single one of them had said anything about it?

She stopped in the doorway and watched them.

In her memories, team movie night meant everyone lying all over one another. It meant comfort and laughter, sharing snacks and drinks and just… being together.

This was anything but.

They each sat in their spaces on the chairs and sofas, not a single one of them touching another. There were untouched bowls of popcorn on the low coffee table, and Bruce even had his face buried in his tablet. She frowned.

When had they stopped being a team and turned into a group of separate people?

"Toni?"

She turned her head to see Natasha watching her.

"So. You all knew, huh?" she asked, stepping further into the room. She leant her hands on the back of an empty chair for support.

Eyes widened, and they looked between one another, clearly searching for words that wouldn't scare her off. Only Steve looked directly at her, eyes blazing with an emotion Toni couldn't place.

"We knew," Natasha confirmed. "We never brought it up because… well, we thought you wanted it to be a secret. And… knowing it was you never made a difference, Toni. We decided it didn't matter, because we trust Toni even more than we trust Iron Man."

Toni swallowed hard. After everything they'd been thought, all the fighting and being on opposing sides of a civil war and… the fact that Natasha could say that, and the other's could nod along with her words…

Toni didn't really know what to do with that.

"I, uh. Okay? I don't know what to say to that."

"Join us, Toni," Steve said quietly, nodding to the space on the sofa between him and Bucky. "Please."

She shuffled her feet. "I wasn't lying when I said I was tired, Steve. I think I just need to sleep."

Steve huffed and then held his arms out. "Then come sit with me and fall asleep with me then. It's been far too long since I had a Toni-Cuddle."

Hesitating, Toni realised that this was more than a choice of a cuddle or her own bed. It was a decision of if she was ready to move on from the betrayal and the anger and the hurt. It was a decision of if she was ready for them to be a _team_ again.

They were all holding their breath as they waited to see what she would do.

…

"Do you need help carrying her to bed?" Thor asked, as he stood. The movies were over, and everyone was retiring for the night.

Steve looked down at Toni, fast asleep on his chest, and shook his head. "It's fine, I got her."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Showtime - 8. Circle

Arcade - Sheik - Powder Blue / Jumping / Genderbend

Basement - 2. A secret Identity

365 - 81. Desire

1000 - 925. Betrayed


	18. TonyThor 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- TonyThor

 **Word Count** \- 344

* * *

 **The Words He Liked To Hear**

* * *

Tony's eyes were alight, his excitement palpable as he rambled about hit latest breakthrough. The rest of the team were smiling at his antics, but Thor could see they were getting bored.

He didn't understand them. How could one not want to listen and pay attention to something that made the man in front of them so happy? How could one not want to ensure the light remained in those brown eyes?

Thor watched him with what he was sure was an entirely besotted look on his own face. He'd been attracted to Anthony upon their meeting, but in getting to know him, in learning of the deep insecurities and endless generosity and kindness the man carried, he'd fallen deeply.

If only Tony would allow it, he'd proclaim it to all who would listen. Tony deserved that much, and much more.

The rest of the team begged off the conversation one by one, until only Thor remained to listen to Anthony speak.

"Why am I the only who sees you're beautiful?" he asked, when Tony finally stopped to take a breath and enjoy his coffee. Thor appreciated the soft blush that coloured Tony's cheeks and smiled at the sight.

"I think most people appreciate the aesthetic, but not many can follow when I… speak," Tony admitted, his hands wrapping tighter around his coffee mug. "It's fine, I get it. Not many people can get quite so excited as I do by mechanics."

Thor shook his head. "The subject should not matter. You light up the room when you are happy, Anthony. That should engage everyone, and yet, it does not. I do not understand Midgardians."

Tony snorted. "It's really not an issue, Thor."

Thor pulled him close by the hand, and wrapped strong arms around him. "Perhaps this way is for the best," he murmured, against Tony's ear. "At least this way, there is no competition for your affections."

Tony grinned. "As if there'd be any competition against you anyway," he scoffed lightly.

Thor beamed. Those were exactly the words he liked to hear.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Showtime - 11. "Why am I the only one who sees you're beautiful?"

365 - 36. Proclaim

1000 - 922. Excited


	19. TonyThor 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- ThorTony

 **Word Count** \- 1197

* * *

 **A Calming Effect**

* * *

Thor watched Tony. He was pensive, lost in thought. The rest of the team had their eyes on the tv screen, immersed in the movie playing. Thor couldn't help but wonder what was on Tony's mind that had distracted him so thoroughly.

He'd been this way since Thanos, Thor realised. Once the snap had been reversed, and they'd returned their world to its previous state, the other Avengers seemed to have settled better.

Of course, they were all still suffering nightmares, and Clint, Natasha and Tony all still bore injuries from that final fight, but Tony…

Tony was different.

Much more easily distractable, he seemed distant and unsure of himself. He'd always been a confident man, visible in his walk, his stance, his eyes, his words.

All of that was gone now.

He was… a shell of what he'd been, and the worst part of it was than nobody else seemed to have noticed.

Thor knew of the unpleasantness that had happened between the team while he'd been on Asgard, he knew of the falling out, and the new additions to the team that came as consequence to that, but he didn't understand why that meant that the team had apparently decided to ignore one of their own falling apart in front of their eyes.

He looked around, and met the eyes of Vision, who apparently was not as oblivious as he'd seemed.

The being had a sad look in his eyes as he glanced over at Tony.

Thor decided to sit back on it for a while longer, to watch and see what happened. He would keep a close eye on Tony, and intervene when he felt it unavoidable. The man Tony had been would have hated anyone to perceive him as weak or in need of help, so for now, Thor would do nothing overt.

…

"Tony?"

Tony blinked, clearly struggling to focus on Steve.

"Are you okay?"

Thor watched from the corner of his eye as Steve finally decided to approach Tony. It had been two weeks since Thor's decision to sit back and watch and he was decidedly unimpressed with what he'd seen.

The team moved around Tony like he wasn't there. They made decisions about things without consulting him, and only seemed to speak directly to him when it concerned their equipment.

They were treating him as a technician, rather than a member of the team.

"I'm fine."

Thor saw Steve roll his eyes and felt anger so strong, lightning threatened to sizzle from his skin.

"Clearly you're not, Tony. You've been walking around in a daze for weeks. Nobody can help you if you don't tell us what the problem is."

Tony stood up without replying and walked away, leaving Steve to call his name.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with that?" Steve huffed, sitting down at the kitchen table.

Thor watched Barnes shrug, and Clint roll his eyes. He shook his head. This was ridiculous.

…

Tony was sitting on the sofa, right in the middle, his eyes glazed as he stared at the tv. Thor entered quietly, and rounded the sofa, scooping Tony into his arms. The genius squawked a little, flailing in Thor's grip.

"What are you doing?" he asked, clutching at Thor's arm.

"Hush," Thor murmured gently, as he walked easily with Tony's weight. They entered Thor's bedroom, and he pulled the sheets back and carefully placed Tony on the bed.

"I won't sleep any better here than I do anywhere else, Thor," Tony muttered, when he realised what Thor was doing.

Thor stripped his shirt and trousers, and then nudged Tony over, climbing in beside him. He ignored Tony's weak protest and wrapped himself around the smaller man.

"You are safe," he said firmly. "I will keep you safe, Tony. I promise."

There was silence for a moment, and then Tony burrowed his face against Thor's chest. Thor felt the dampness of Tony's tears.

"I'm so tired," Tony whimpered.

"Sleep, Tony," Thor said again, stroking a large hand down Tony's back in a soothing rhythm. "I'll take care of you."

…

Thor watched Tony during their next movie night. He sat beside Thor this time, and he kept glancing at Thor and then looking away quickly. He'd been doing better, though by all means was not fixed. Thor had never believed it would be a quick fix.

He'd been fully aware of what he was signing up for.

Thor shifted to the side, resting one leg up against the back of the sofa, and the next time Tony glanced his way, he lifted his arms welcomingly.

He could feel the eyes of the others, but paid them no mind. He kept his own eyes on Tony's, who after a moment's hesitation, shifted so he was sitting in the gap between Thor's legs. Thor smiled and tugged him closer, so he way lying back against Thor's chest.

It was mere minutes before Tony was asleep.

…

"What are you doing with Tony?"

Thor stared at Steve for a long moment, long enough that the Captain shuffled awkwardly, glancing away.

"What I do with Tony is of no concern for you," Thor rumbled eventually. "Not is it the concern of anyone other than Tony and I. I would ensure that your team is aware of that, Captain."

Steve blinked. "My team? We're all on the same team, Thor."

Thor snorted. "If that is what you believe, you are even blinder than I thought you to be."

…

"I must return to visit Asgard soon," Thor said to Tony, the words muffled by Tony's hair. In his arms, Thor felt Tony stiffen. "I would have you come with me, if you wish."

Tony pulled back enough to look at Thor. "You… you want me to come to Asgard?"

"Yes. I would have you with me all the time, Tony, if you allowed it."

"You, I, _why_?"

"Because…" Thor trailed off, searching for the right words, that would not chase Tony off. "Because you settle me in a way none other ever has. I find your presence in my arms to be calming."

"Just… just like that, you can… take me there?"

Thor smiled and nodded. "I am king. I can do as I please."

…

"You can't just… leave!" Steve shouted. "What if you're needed here?"

Thor couldn't stand there and watch as Steve shouted at his Tony.

"You will have care how you speak, Captain," he ordered, glaring at Steve across the room. "I wish for Tony to accompany me to my world and he's agreed. Heimdall will tell us if the earth has a need for protection, and even so, Tony is much more than an Avenger and it would do you well to remember that!"

Tony seemed to take heart from Thor's words, and he sat up straighter, a glimmer of the old Tony there. "I'm going, Steve. I only came here to give you the courtesy of letting you know. We'll see you when we get back."

Tony crossed the room and tucked himself into the crook of Thor's arm.

"Are you ready?" Thor asked, wrapping a secure arm around Tony.

"Yes."

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 37. Vision

1000 - 923. Pensive


	20. TonyBucky 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- TonyBucky, but mostly a team fic. (Female Toni in this one)

 **Word Count** \- 610

* * *

 **Family**

* * *

If asked by a stranger, Toni would say that running away had been an impulse.

She'd say she hadn't planned it, that it had been spur of the moment, that she never meant to stay away so long. She'd say that she hadn't meant to hurt her parents with her absence.

She remembered her training, after all. She knew what would be expected of her.

If asked by one of the few people she trusted, Toni would say that she'd always planned to run away.

She'd say that it was what she needed to do to allow herself happiness. She'd say that she knew it would make, if not her mother, then certainly her father, happy too. He'd wanted a son, an heir, and instead he'd been landed with her.

She remembered her training, but she also refused to lie to the family she'd built on her own.

…

Toni had grown up an only child.

She'd been brought up by Jarvis, the family butler, and under his tutelage, she'd flourished. Beyond Jarvis though, Toni craved her father's attention. She craved her mother's affection.

The two of them were to busy for a child though, and Toni was the one to suffer the consequences of that.

…

In Rhodey, she found a brother, and in Pepper, a sister but also a surrogate mother. Pepper harangued her constantly to take better care of herself, to look after herself. It was as annoying as it was nice.

Later, in Clint and Natasha, Toni found terrifying cousins that both appalled and thrilled her. She craved them around her while in the same breath, they horrified her with their presence.

In Bruce, she found a kindred spirit, a Science Brother that she could bond with and Science with and she loved him.

In Steve, she found a caretaker. He was like a best friend, a brother, a father and a bodyguard, all rolled into one delicious package of pretty. Toni never felt safer than when he had her wrapped in his arms.

And in Bucky?

In Bucky, Toni found herself in love.

…

When Toni was found, she met her Father's narrowed gaze head on. She faced his disappointment with nonchalance and amusement, because he was only disappointed she hadn't died, Toni was sure.

He stood in front of her, loomed over her, and told her it was time to come home. It was time to learn the ropes of the company, because Toni would be taking over in a few short years.

He told her she'd had her fun, and now it was time to face her responsibilities to her name.

…

When Toni told her father no, Steve stood behind her, his hand on her shoulder and a glare levelled at Howard Stark.

When Toni told her father she didn't want anything to do with the company, Bucky stood beside her, holding her hand.

When Toni told her father that she didn't need his money, or his name, or his connections, because she'd made her own, the rest stepped around her and smirked at Howard.

"Toni is ours," Steve said simply. "If she needs a name, she can have mine."

"If she needs money, she can have ours," Bucky added.

"And we have all the connections she'll ever need," Natasha added.

"We take care of our own," Pepper said, stepping in front of Toni. "And Toni is our own, so we'll take care of her."

…

When Howard walked away, Toni didn't shed a tear. She leant back into Steve's arms and she squeezed Bucky's hand in her own, and she shared smiles with the rest of her family.

She was happy.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney - C1. Simba - A character running away

365 - 40. Impulse

1000 - 921. Happy


	21. Tony&Clint

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- Tony&Clint (pre-relationship, if you choose)

 **Word Count** \- 698

* * *

 **I'll Keep You Safe**

* * *

Tony couldn't sleep. He threw back the olive sheets and sat up, rubbing his eyes. He glared at the quilt. Why did he even still have those sheets? Pepper had chosen them, back when she'd still been able to deal with his shit but…

He didn't even like the colour, never mind that she said they matched the soothing browns and creams of the bedroom.

"Jarvis, order new sheets," he muttered, standing up.

"Yes, sir. Any particular shade?"

Tony snorted. "Not olive."

He left the bedroom and made his way down to the floor he'd designed for the Avengers to convene. The coffee pot was on that floor, and… perhaps, there would be someone else still up that could distract him for a while.

Sure enough, the tv was playing quietly, and Clint was slouched on the sofa, looking tired and drawn but just as awake as Tony himself.

"Coffee?" Tony offered as he passed the sofa.

"Sure."

Tony made quick work of two coffees and returned to the sofa. Clint had moved over a little from the middle, so Tony had room to slump beside him. He held the cup out and nodded when Clint thanked him quietly.

"Nightmares?" Clint asked after a long pause.

"Hmhmm," Tony hummed in agreement. "You?"

"Loki."

Tony nodded. Obvious, when he thought about it. Neither of them had come out of that battle unscathed.

Tony drank his coffee silently, eyes on the tv. He had no idea what they were watching, but it didn't really matter. The warmth emanating from Clint and the light from the tv were enough to push away the lingering thoughts of the invasion, and of space, and of the vast—

Nope, not going there again.

He dropped his empty mug beside his thigh.

"You wanna talk about it?" he offered Clint, when the man shifted beside him.

Clint snorted almost inaudibly and shook his head. "That'd be the healthy thing to do, wouldn't it?"

"Probably," Tony agreed.

They fell into silence again, and Tony slumped deeper into the sofa, but also to the side, closer to Clint. He startled when he realised his eyes had closed when his head landed on Clint's shoulder.

Clint chuckled and then tugged on Tony's arm, until Tony was laid out across his lap, head resting comfortably on a strong, firm thigh. Clint's hand settled in Tony's hair and he played with the soft strands.

"This helps," Clint admitted after a long moment. "Being reminded that I'm not alone. Helps me remember that he didn't… that I didn't… that I'm still me."

"It wasn't your fault," Tony murmured. "What happened while he had you under… none of what you did was on you. Brainwashing is fucked."

"That's one word for it," Clint agreed. "And logically, I think I know that it's not my fault."

"Logic helps absolutely nothing when it's three in the morning and you wake up with the images still in your mind, though, does it?"

"It really doesn't."

Tony sighed. "I don't think I've slept properly since Afghanistan. This… this just made it worse."

Clint's hand tightened on Tony's hair for a moment, before he let go entirely. "Sit up for a minute."

Tony did so, missing the contact immediately. Clint made him feel… human. Normal. He watched, confused, as Clint laid down on the sofa, pressed back into the cushions. Then he held his arms out, and Tony understood.

He laid down with his back to Clint's chest, and pushed back until they were in contact from shoulder to ankle.

"I'll keep you safe, Tones," Clint promised softly, arms wrapping around him tightly. "I won't let anything hurt you tonight, okay?"

Tony nodded, because for the first time in a really long time, he felt secure enough to believe him.

Clint's arms made him feel _safe_.

It wasn't a fix. It didn't instantly make either of them feel completely better, or like they were mentally healed, or even like they were back to normal. For one night though, it helped them sleep.

For one night, they managed to keep the nightmares at bay. And that… that was probably worth more than all the therapy in the world.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Showtime - 15. Hurt/Comfort

365 - 44. Invasion

1000 - 931. Olive


	22. TonyPepper 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- TonyPepper

 **Word Count** \- 864

* * *

 **Searching For Happiness**

* * *

Tony had had faith in the team. He'd believed them to be stronger than they apparently were. That was his mistake, but he couldn't deny that he was hurt by what happened.

It didn't stop him from trying to fix things, because that was what he did. It was what he was good at.

He fixed the accords, and had Ross fired as an added bonus. He worked on B.A.R.F and then with Shuri on both that and a new arm for Barnes. He got pardons and worked with the media for the 'Rogue Avengers', and he made it possible for them to come home.

Now all he had to do was play nicely with them. He could do that, right?

…

Apparently, not right.

On seeing them again, Tony's heart had pounded in his chest so hard he half expected it to push right out and land on the floor with a splat.

Steve shuffled his feet awkwardly, as though he didn't know quite how to react to seeing Tony again. He looked like he was fighting with offering an apology and expecting one.

Natasha and Clint were pretending nothing had happened, and Barnes looked like he wanted the floor to just swallow him whole.

"Well," Tony said, knocking his glasses down from his head to cover his eyes. "Welcome back. Bye."

…

"You know you can't just retire, Tony!" Steve shouted over the phone, apparently having found his tongue now that he wasn't face to face with Tony. "The team needs you! The world needs you!"

"I _can_ retire," Tony replied flatly. "Because I _have_ retired. So… if that's all?"

"I need you," Steve said, his tone suddenly low and tired and… "I need you, Tony, because I can't do any of this without you. You're the only one who's never afraid to tell me I'm wrong."

"You managed just fine when you were slamming your shield into my chest," Tony replied darkly. "And on the run up to that. You've got Barnes back to call you on your shit, Cap. You don't need me anymore."

…

"You were wrong, you know?"

Tony startled and then swore softly. "What the fuck are you doing here?"

Barnes tilted his head and then stepped further into Tony's workshop.

"You were wrong," he repeated, softly. "Steve needs you, and it doesn't matter that he found me again. He needs _you."_

"We don't all get what we want, Frosty," Tony replied. "I'm sure you can find your own way out."

"Why are you doing this?" Barnes demanded. "Why are you insisting on being so bloody stubborn when you need him as much as he needs you? Even I can see that, and I don't even know you!"

"Because I trusted him," Tony snapped, spinning on his seat to glare at Barnes. "I trusted him to have my back, and when it really mattered, he ran away. When it really mattered, he hid the truth from me. And when it really mattered, he smashed his shield into my chest and almost killed me. So that's why I'm being so damn stubborn!"

…

"What can I do to fix this?" Steve asked softly.

Tony turned to face him and felt a jolt in his chest at the look on Steve's face.

"You can't," Tony admitted. "None of us can. It happened, Steve, and it is what it is. We just have to… move on."

"Why can't we move on together?"

Tony smiled gently, and let his hand rest on Steve's arm gently. "Because I run when I'm hurt and I don't stop. Not even for Captain America."

…

The call to arms went out globally when Thanos attacked.

Tony started at the Iron Man suit and then turned to Pepper, who was cradling the tiny bump protruding from her stomach.

"I have to go and help," Tony told her. "I can't just sit here while the world ends and know that I didn't do anything to help."

"I know," she replied, stepping forwards to press her lips to his cheek. "Come home, okay?"

…

"Tony?" The faceplate on the suit retracted, and Steve met his eyes, hope burgeoning. "You're here."

"I'm tired of running," Tony said simply.

…

"Does this mean you're ready to be an Avenger again?" Steve asked, days later when they were all tired, bruised, but victorious.

Tony shook his head. "No. That part of my life really is over, Steve. But… I couldn't sit by and watch while the world ended. Thanos' vision wasn't a world I wanted my son to be born into."

"Son?"

Tony's smile was blinding. "Pepper's having a boy."

…

"Congratulations," Steve said, looking through the window at the baby in the crib. "He's beautiful."

"I know," Tony agreed.

"You… You're not coming back, are you?"

Tony shook his head. "Not this time. I… I'm happy, Steve. I spent so long searching for redemption, looking for happiness that I never found. I won't let it go now that I've found it."

Steve gripped Tony's shoulder. "Make sure you bring him to see us, okay? He needs to know what a hero his father is. We know that better than anyone."

* * *

 **Written for;**

365 - 45. Faith

1000 - 924. Hurt.


	23. SteveTonyBucky 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges Listed at the Bottom_

 **Pairing - TonyBuckySteve**

 **Word Count -** 920

* * *

 **Thank You**

* * *

"I'm going to kill the Winter Soldier," Tony announced on a Friday afternoon.

The panic on Steve's face was real and immediate, and it confused Tony for a moment before he ran through his words and realised how they could be taken.

"Oh. No, wait. I'm going to kill the _Soldier,_ so Barnes is… you know? Not the Winter Soldier anymore? It sounded better in my head," Tony muttered, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, I worked out a machine, I won't bore you with the details. But I need Barnes in the workshop so."

Steve stared at him. The panic had lessened as Tony spoke, and now, he was looking only faintly confused and also… admiring?

Tony frowned at him when he didn't answer. "What?"

"Even though you know what he was forced to do… you're still going to help him?"

"Did you think I wouldn't?" Tony asked, genuinely confused. "I told you it was okay to bring him here, didn't I?"

"Yes, but—"

"Dear Lord, I'm surrounded by idiots," Tony said, shaking his head.

"That's… really sweet, Tony. Thank you. I… I'll fetch him down to the workshop in a little while, okay?"

Tony wrinkled is nose at the word 'sweet' but nodded anyway and left the communal living area. Sweet? He wasn't sweet. He just didn't want Barnes having an episode in his tower and destroying the place, that's all.

…

"It's really called B.A.R.F?" Steve asked, smirking.

"Hush your face, Spangles," Tony replied, waving him off.

Steve shrugged. "You named your first bot, DUM-E. I'm not sure what I was expecting really."

Tony stared at him for a long moment. "You're cancelled."

…

"Is he okay?"

Tony glanced from the readings JARVIS was supplying him with to look at Steve. He was watching Barnes with a concerned look on his face.

Tony sighed. "This was never going to be the most comfortable thing in the world for him to go through, Steve. He's… he's doing well. He'll be better, after."

Steve nodded. "Thanks again, Tony."

Tony rolled his eyes.

…

"You're not going to be in the room, Tony!" Barnes growled, shaking his head. "It's not safe!"

Tony sighed. "I'm like… 98 percent sure that it's going to be fine, Snowflake."

"Well, that 2 percent says you're not going to be in the room."

"Christ, you're stubborn," Tony muttered, shaking his head. "Fine. I'll have JARVIS say the triggers and lock you up in the Hulk room. Better?"

Bucky stared at him for a long moment. "Better. Thank you."

"Uh huh."

…

"The triggers are gone, Stevie!" Bucky trilled, clearly happy to have his mind back to himself.

Steve grinned wide and hugged Bucky tight. "That's amazing. How do you feel?"

"I feel… I feel free," Bucky replied, voice full of awe and wonder.

They both turned to thank Tony, only to find him gone.

"Where did Tony go?" Bucky asked, frowning.

"Sir has retreated to his workshop," JARVIS informed them.

"I don't… I don't think Tony knows what to do with gratitude," Steve said quietly, sighing.

…

"Tony?"

"Hmm?" Tony spun his chair around to see both Super Soldiers standing in the doorway to the workshop. "What can I do for you both."

"We, uh, we wanted to take you out. To dinner," Steve said haltingly. Tony almost laughed at the way he stumbled on his words until he realised what the words were.

"Is this another thank you?" he asked, frowning. "Cause I gotta tell you, you don't need to keep doing shit like this. Neither of you. I could help so I did, it's not… it's not a big deal."

They'd been leaving him coffee and food around the place and they'd even bought him flowers twice. It was a little… much, if you asked Tony. They'd said thank you, surely that should be the end of it?

Bucky rolled his eyes. "Setting aside that you giving me my mind back _is_ a big deal, we want to take you out, Doll. On a date."

Um. What? Tony blinked at them, his mind suddenly empty.

"Tony?" Steve murmured, when it became clear he wasn't going to answer them. "I think we broke him, Buck."

"Doll?"

"You don't want to date me," he blurted. "That's not a thing."

"Beg to differ, Doll, but we really would like to take you out. If you don't want to, it's fine, but… if you do, we'd love it."

"I… am not good at the thing. The dating thing. I'm a shockingly bad boyfriend."

"How about you let us decide that, huh?" Steve asked, softly, reaching a hand out to cup Tony's cheek.

"I, uh. Okay?"

The smiles that lit up the Soldier's faces were blinding.

…

"I… had a great time," Tony murmured, when they walked him up the stairs to the penthouse.

Bucky moved a step forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss against Tony's lips. When he pulled back, it was only for Steve to take his place.

Tony's lips tingled, and he barely managed to not raise a hand to them, when Steve followed Bucky and stepped back much too soon.

"Thank you," they murmured together.

Tony shook his head. "Thank _you_."

Steve smiled. "We'll see you at breakfast."

"Sleep well, doll."

…

When Tony went down to the workshop the following morning, it was to find a coffee, toast and a single rose at his usual workstation. Alongside them a yellow post-it note.

 _Thank you for giving us a chance. Have a good day, sweetheart._

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney; D5. "I'm surrounded by idiots."

365\. 41. Episode

1000\. 919. Sweet


	24. Tony&Bucky

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Characters** \- Tony&Bucky

 **Word Count** \- 579

* * *

 **A Late Night Visit**

* * *

Tony didn't realise he had company until the Winter Soldier was already in the room, watching him from the corner.

He set his tablet down on the arm of his chair and arched his eyebrow in question.

Barnes stared at him for a long moment before he took a step forwards.

"I hope you haven't caused permanent damage with whatever you used to block your appearance from FRIDAY."

Barnes shook his head, taking a little box from his pocket. "Shuri, she… she said this would temporarily turn the system off. Won't cause no damage."

Tony nodded. "Okay. Are you here to kill me, Barnes?"

Barnes blinked and then shook his head rapidly. "What? No, of course not! Why would you—"

"I'm realistic," Tony interrupted. "And the only reason I can think for you being here is to finish the job that Steve started."

Tony watched Barnes' eyes drop to his chest and widen, when he realised that Tony's torso was wrapped top to bottom, with a gap cut out for the arc reactor.

"Steve… he said you had that removed," he said, frowning as he pointed at the reactor.

"I did. Why are you here, Barnes?"

"I wanted… I wanted to tell you I'm sorry. I wanted to give you the chance too… if you… I mean, you should…" He shook his head, his frustration clear and he took a moment to gather himself. "I wanted to give you the right to have me arrested, or to kill me yourself."

Tony frowned. "I reacted… naturally, when that video was played and you were _right there._ I won't apologise for that. However, now that I've had the chance to calm down, I've realised that you didn't _choose_ to kill them. Hydra might have used you to do their bidding, but I've never blamed a gun; only those that fire them."

Barnes blinked at him, clearly at a loss for words.

"I forgive you, Barnes, if that's what you need to hear. I don't think you have anything to be forgiven for, given there was no other option for you, but I understand how guilt can cripple a man."

"Stevie—"

"Is a completely different matter, and not one I want to discuss," Tony interrupted, warning flashing in his eyes.

Barnes nodded. "He's like my brother, but… he's an idiot."

"That's certainly one word for it," Tony muttered darkly.

"I should…" Barnes gestured to the door. "Shuri, she's waiting for me. She said… well, she won't be surprised by your reaction but… thank you, Mr Stark."

"Tony. In future, I'd recommend you listen to Shuri," Tony said, smiling faintly. "She's a smart kid, smarter than the rest of us by a mile."

Bucky nodded.

"The pardons are in the process," Tony said quietly. "One for you too. The others, they'll be welcomed back to the compound, because I don't want them here, but… you're welcome to visit. If you ever need anything."

"I… thank you. Really."

Tony nodded and picked his tablet back up, the dismissal clear in his action.

"Boss? Are you okay? My system—"

"It's fine, babygirl," Tony replied quietly. "Your systems are all okay?"

"Fine, Boss."

Tony nodded and concentrated on his tablet. Of anyone who could have snuck into the tower to see him, he was surprised it had been Barnes. Ironically, the only innocent of the entire debacle.

He shook his head. The entire thing was a mess, but… perhaps, it wasn't as unfixable as he'd thought.

* * *

 **Written for;**

365\. 43. Brother

1000\. 918. Realistic


	25. ThorTonyBruce

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Pairing** \- More friendship centric, though it has leanings towards ThorTonyBruce. (Also not overly Team Cap friendly, fair warning).

 **Word Count** \- 4195

* * *

 **A Split Down The Middle**

* * *

Their first fight after Thanos' snap had been reversed was a _disaster._ Worse even than their first fight against the Chitauri.

The team couldn't seem to gain any traction, and the comms were full of shouting and confusion.

Afterwards, they gathered in the meeting room to do the debrief, a necessary evil of the new Accords that had finally been agreed upon.

Tony kept his suit around him, though he had the helmet and faceplate detracted. It was the first time he'd seen most of the team since the final battle with Thanos. Honestly, he shouldn't have even been out in the field yet, but the call for arms had demanded he attend.

And who was Tony to deny Captain America's order?

"You deliberately disobeyed me. And what's worse, you put Bucky in danger!" Steve snapped, banging his hand on the table.

Tony was glad that the suit hid the worst of his flinch at the noise. "Oh, of course, if it's Barnes in danger, fuck everyone else. I don't need your permission to do what I think is best, Rogers."

"Steve," Nat said, a small frown on her face. "Tony was saving _me,_ which is why he didn't immediately go and retrieve Bucky. You know he can't be in two places at once, right?"

"Well nobody told me that," Steve replied harshly. "How am I supposed to know where my team are, if nobody is telling me anything?"

"I did say I was going to aid Nat," Tony said quietly. "But you were barking orders at everyone else and didn't hear me. Getting on with it seemed to be the obvious choice in action, since Widow was being overwhelmed."

"Maybe if the whole team was more present at the compound, we'd have been able to get our communication better under control," Steve sneered.

Tony had no words for that, because he _hadn't_ been at the compound lately. Mostly because he'd been recovering in his home from the toll of the biggest fight any of them had ever been a part of, but that was neither here nor there.

The Avengers weren't aware of the injuries Tony had sustained in that fight, and Tony had no interest in letting them know anything about it. They hadn't been interested in the immediate aftermath, and he didn't need fake pity now.

"I've been busy," he replied instead, keeping it short and succinct. "I have a lot of demands on my time."

"If you can't be a fully operating Avenger, maybe you shouldn't be on the team at all," Steve snapped.

Tony blinked, looking around at the shocked faces of his teammates. Steve seemed to realise what he'd said, and he slumped in his seat, then opened his mouth to speak. Perhaps to detract his words, Tony didn't know.

Tony didn't give him a chance.

He stood and nodded at Steve. "Then consider this my immediate resignation from the Avengers Initiative. I'll show myself out."

He ignored the calls of his name and let the helmet of his suit shield him once more as he left the room.

…

Thor stood leaning against the wall, Stormbreaker against his leg. He'd been watching the proceedings with interest. The team he remembered were all but gone, and though he'd heard many tales of what had happened on Midgard while he'd been occupied elsewhere, this was his first real opportunity to witness it for himself.

Seeing the Captain go in on Tony was enlightening, although perhaps not in a good way.

"What in the actual fuck was that, Steve?" Clint demanded, when Tony closed the door behind him. "Tony was doing his job out there, and you just went in on him for nothing!"

"I didn't see you defending him while he was here," Steve said, rubbing a hand over his face. "I shouldn't have said that though. I'll call him later and apologise."

"You think a call is going to fix this?" Natasha asked, raising a sleek eyebrow. "I think… I think the best course of action would be to accept that it would be better for Tony to not be an Avenger. He clearly doesn't feel like he's part of the team anymore, and honestly, I don't think anyone can blame him for that."

"Iron Man is needed," Steve replied, ignoring her words. "Tony knows that. It was just a… it was a heat of the moment thing. He'll see that."

Thor barely managed to hold back a scoff of disbelief. Iron Man was indeed a formidable member of the team, and they would certainly be less without him, but they were missing the main point.

"Iron Man is certainly an asset to the team," he said, his voice rumbling in his chest. They all jumped, as though they'd forgotten he was there. "But _Tony Stark_ is the one you will miss the most."

Steve frowned. "I don't understand."

Thor nodded. He'd expected as much. "Not a single one of you realised that Tony is still injured from the last showdown with Thanos. Not a single one of you noticed that his movements were stiff and just slightly slower than usual. Nobody questioned his quiet gasps of pain as he flew the skies. And yet, he still forced himself out there to aid you. His courage and quiet strength are what make Iron Man a formidable opponent for the villains of this planet. And that is not to say what Tony Stark brings to the team even without his suit."

Thor picked up Stormbreaker and hefted it to his shoulder.

"He is the one who makes your armors, your weapons, you comm units. He is the one who houses you, who funds you and he is the one who pays for the medical care many of you have found necessary since the beginning of when the Avengers were brought together. You… you have betrayed him at every turn, and yet, today he still showed up to help you. He is exceptionally caring, intelligent and while yes, he can be abrasive, he will do anything and everything in his power to protect the world he calls home. You repaid him by aiming baseless accusations at him with more hostility that is ever necessary when speaking with a teammate. I would not blame him if he decided to leave you to your own devices from here on out, but that's not the kind of man he is."

Thor left the room to silence. He would shower and change, and then he would head out to find the Man of Iron himself. Tony needed to know that he wasn't alone, and Thor was sure once he shared the happenings in the meeting with Bruce, who was currently recovering from his transformation, Thor would not be alone in wanting to prove that.

…

"Sir, you have visitors."

Tony groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. "Who?"

"Thor Odinson and Bruce Banner," JARVIS replied softly. "I believe they wish to make sure you're okay, Sir."

"Tell them I'm fine," Tony requested. "And that I'm busy."

Silence for a moment, before JARVIS spoke again. "They are rather insistent that they be allowed entrance, Sir."

Tony dropped his chin to his chest and sighed heavily. He knew, realistically, that if Thor was insistent on coming in, nothing would keep him out.

"Fine. Let them in and lead them here, J."

"Yes, Sir."

Minutes later, Tony heard the footsteps of Thor and Bruce, and he forced himself to sit up a little on the sofa, the blanket he'd covered himself in falling from his chest to rest in his lap.

When they entered the room, Tony saw the exact moment Bruce registered what he was seeing. Usually, after a battle, Tony would head immediately for the workshop to make whatever repairs were necessary to his suit.

That he was laid up on the couch of his living room, with not even a tablet in sight, would obviously send warning bells to Bruce.

"Are you okay, Tony?" he asked, approaching slowly with Thor just a step behind him.

"Fine," Tony replied automatically. The look on Bruce's face made him chuckle. "Okay, so maybe not fine, but also not terrible?"

"Thor explained what happened."

Tony grimaced and looked at the god of thunder. "You telling tales, Point Break?"

Thor smiled at him, though it seemed pained. "Merely passing on knowledge."

"Uh huh."

"So, you quit the Avengers, huh?" Bruce asked, sitting down on the sofa beside Tony. Thor took the closest armchair and sat forward, with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Resigned," Tony corrected, closing his eyes briefly. "If you're here to change my mind, you might as well save your breath. I can't work with him, Bruce. I tried, I really did but… too much has happened. I don't trust him."

Bruce nodded, resting a hand on Tony's knee. "I'm not here to change your mind. I'm here to make sure you're okay, and to… offer a solution."

Tony blinked. "Solution?"

Bruce nodded. "Yes. I was thinking about it earlier, while recovering, and then once Thor told me what had happened… it solidified it in my mind that it would be a viable solution to a rather obvious problem."

"What's the obvious problem?"

"There are too many Avengers," Bruce said firmly. "And so many superpowered being's on one team is a _terrible_ idea."

"Okay," Tony said slowly, shifting in his seat and wincing when the movement jarred his left shoulder.

Before Bruce could say anymore, Thor stood and rounded the sofa, standing directly behind Tony. He placed a gentle hand on Tony's shoulder and massaged the pain point. Tony startled at the touch and froze for a moment before he settled into the touch, moaning quietly when Thor's touch eased the pain there.

"We should have two teams," Bruce said, smiling at Thor. "Seperate teams that can, when absolutely necessary, work together, but that ultimately work on different missions."

Tony blinked. "You think the Accords Council will go for that? You think _Steve_ will go for that?"

Bruce snorted. "I think the Accords Council will see the good points of having two teams instead of one, and I think Steve can suck eggs. I don't particularly care if he likes it or not, since it was him that caused most of the problems in the first place."

"Bruce… you know that's not true. He might have been… part of the problem, but it wasn't his fault. I'm—"

"You were not at fault for much of what happened," Thor said quietly. "In all accounts that I've heard, most of them point to you trying to keep the team together, and the Captain thwarting your attempts without thought for the consequences."

Bruce nodded his agreement. "It's an idea, okay? Just think on it, and in the meantime, you heal up and just relax for a while."

Tony nodded hesitantly.

"Food and movies seems like a good plan for the rest of the day?" Bruce said then, glancing at the tv.

Tony nodded again, and almost complained loudly when Thor's hands left his shoulders. He managed to hold that in, though he did yelp when strong arms picked him up. Thor settled onto the sofa with Tony in his lap and pulled the blanket up around him, before his hand went back to Tony's shoulder.

"Relax," he murmured, when Tony stiffened. "It is time to rid yourself of the stress of the day, and take time to be with people who care about you. _Relax._ "

It took a while, but by the time they'd eaten and were halfway through the first movie, Tony was fully de-stressed and pliant against Thor's chest. By the _end_ of the movie, he was asleep.

…

Steve stepped into the large hall, raising an eyebrow when he saw the Accords Council all present and waiting for them. T'Challa sat in the middle, conversing with a man Steve didn't know.

"What's going on?" he asked, as he took the seat assigned him. The little name card even had a small picture of his shield beside his name.

He wasn't answered and he huffed, watching his team filter in in ones and twos. The whole Avengers roster were present, something he hadn't actually seen since Thanos had been defeated.

Finally, when they were all there, T'Challa banged his gavel to start the meeting. Him being the head of the Council had been one of the reforms Tony had fought for under the revisement.

"An idea has been submitted to the Council that we believe has much merit. We've brought you here today to put it into action, and to sort out the details in a way that you may all may have your voices heard."

Steve frowned.

"What idea?" he asked, leaning on the table.

"The Avengers, when the initiative was first started, was a team of six individuals. You've grown exponentially in the time since then, and it has been proposed that we split you into two, more manageable teams, rather than having a team that is incohesive at best."

Steve glanced across the table to look at Tony. "Did you do this?" he asked, his frown deepening. "Is this some sort of revenge?"

Bruce, seated beside Tony, rolled his eyes. "Actually it was my idea. Sixteen people on one team is ridiculous, Steve, especially when certain members cannot work with others. And no," he added, "I'm not talking about Tony there, either."

Steve rolled his eyes. "Of course you're talking about Tony. Who else has any issues?"

Bruce scoffed. "I have no wish to work with a hydra made witch who unleashed the Hulk on innocent civilians for shits and giggles. So there's one. I'll let other people speak for themselves."

"Wanda apologised for that!"

"Did she?" Bruce asked, eyebrow arched. "Was I asleep during it, because I don't remember her ever apologising to me for what happened?"

The gavel banged again, before Steve could reply. T'Challa's eyes flashed in warning as he stared down the super soldier. "The decision has been made. Two teams will be better equipped to deal with the different threats facing the earth, and should we ever have need of it, you can all still join together against a larger threat if or when one appears."

Steve sat back in his seat, rolling his eyes. This was part of the reason he'd been so against the Accords in the first place. Though he wasn't particularly against the rules that had been instituted in the final draft of the Accords, he still believed that fundamentally, the Avengers should have been left to organise themselves. He _hated_ that he had no say when it came to these matters.

"Captain America will lead the Alpha team," T'Challa continued. "And Iron Man will lead the Delta Team. The two of you have been in charge of the team since its inception, and therefore, are the best to handle being team leaders."

Steve wanted to argue that he'd been team leader since the inception, but he could see that even Nat and Clint were nodding their agreement to T'Challa's words.

"Captain America and Iron Man are a pair, though," Sam said, frowning, as he leant forward a little. "They work best together."

Steve nodded. "I agree with Sam. Tony and I work perfectly well on the field. It's only our personal relationship that is damaged, and that can be fixed, with some effort from _both_ sides."

T'Challa frowned down at the papers in front of him. "It's my understanding that you decided you didn't want Iron Man on your team?" he asked. "We have the minutes from the last team meeting. I believe you said, and I quote, ' _If you can't be a fully operating Avenger, maybe you shouldn't be on the team at all_.' It's been fully acknowledged that Mr Stark, with his many commitments, would not always be able to attend sanctioned team events, and yet, you seem unhappy with that."

"I was annoyed and I took it out on Tony," Steve admitted. "I was wrong. This whole thing is unnecessary, especially if it's stemming from that."

"I believe it's already been established that it was Dr Banner that instigated this idea," T'Challa replied flatly. "Onto teams, I believe, I understand everyone has lives to lead and this meeting does not have to take long. We don't want to place anyone on a team they do not want to be on, if it can be helped, and so, if anyone has a strong preference, we'd invite you to speak now."

"I should like to be on the Delta Team," Thor stated simply. "I work well in the skies with Iron Man."

T'Challa nodded and made a note.

"I'd also like to be on the Delta Team," Bruce supplied, "Providing the Scarlet Witch remains on the Alpha Team."

"Very well. In order to keep the teams equal in certain ways, we'd like to suggest War Machine and Falcon are added to the Alpha Team, to provide air support where and when necessary."

Rhodey glanced at Tony, who smiled, then nodded. "I can do that."

Sam shrugged. "Sure."

"I'd like to join Tony," Hope said, from the far corner of the room. "He helps me work on my suit, so it makes sense."

It continued on, until only Bucky and Stephen Strange were left to be arranged.

"It would make sense to have a Super Soldier on each team," T'Challa said, looking from his notes to Bucky and Steve. "Though I believe there might be difficulties. It would also help to have a magic user on each team. Do either of you have a preference?"

Stephen replied before Bucky could.

"I would prefer to work with Tony," he said, eyeing Steve with distaste. "Given our history of working well together, I believe we would have success."

T'Challa nodded. "Okay, I believe that we have our two teams then. On Team Alpha, led by Captain America, we have The Winter Soldier, Hawkeye, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Falcon, War Machine and Ant Man. On Team Delta, led by Iron Man, we have Dr Banner, Thor, Captain Marvel, Spiderman, The Vision, The Wasp and Dr Strange. Does anybody have anything they wish to add?"

Nobody spoke, though Steve's fists were clenched tightly in his lap. He hated everything about this. They should be one team, under his command, the way they'd always been.

"Okay, onto living arrangements, then. Personally, I believe that nothing needs to change in regards to this. I know some of you have homes of your own, and that many of you live at the Avengers Compound full time. Does anyone have anything to add about that?"

"I think everyone should commit to spending at least some of their time at the compound," Steve said quietly. "Although we're now two teams, we're all still Avengers, and we should have the opportunity to bond as one large team as well as two smaller teams."

Tony's eyebrow quirked but he didn't say anything.

"We are not going to make it a _requirement_ of anyone to live at the compound, even part time," T'Challa said firmly, staring at Steve. "Although, we will take into advisement the idea of a few team activities aimed at bonding _all of you._ "

Steve nodded.

"We want all of you to understand that in splitting teams, we are not creating sides, as it were," T'Challa said then, looking around at all of them. "This is a good idea, and it will make you more effective in your jobs of protecting the world. We are not, under any circumstances, telling you that you cannot continue friendships or camaraderie with those on different teams. As the world grows more vulnerable to the threats of bigger threats, it is essential that we have enough people to combat that."

Steve didn't agree, but again as he saw his team nodding their heads, he held his tongue. This was why he'd opposed the Accords in the first place. While he, admittedly, had made a lot of mistakes, the core of the problem was still present and he had no way to oppose it now.

He'd signed the Accords, as a way to come home, in the hope that with the team back together, they could prove they didn't need them. All he'd wanted was the team back as one team, fighting and living and laughing together the way it had been before it all went to shit.

"Are you okay?" Bucky asked, as they were dismissed from the meeting.

Steve shrugged. "I don't know. It's… nothing is the same, and I'm not really sure how I feel about any of it."

Bucky nodded. "You never were good at compromise, even when you were a skinny little punk."

Steve chuckled. "No. Maybe… maybe it's time I learnt?"

…

"Tony?"

Tony turned around to find Steve standing behind him.

"Have you got a minute?"

He glanced down at the phone in his hand and sighed. "If it really is just a minute, Cap. I've got another meeting soon."

Steve nodded and led them over to the corner of the room. Still in sight of the others, but out of most of their hearing ranges.

"I'm sorry," Steve said, shifting uncomfortably. "I never said that, and I should have. What I did… I won't say I regret everything, because I don't, and I don't want to lie to you. I should have told you the truth though, and in Siberia… I should never have let it go so far. For that, I truly am sorry."

"We," Tony started, before take a breath. "We're very different people, and we can't always relate to each other. That's… it's okay. Because here's the thing, Steve. The world, its bigger than me and you. It needs protecting, and we can do that. I don't… I don't trust you, and that's okay too. We don't need to work together to get things done."

"I… wish things could be different," Steve admitted. "I missed you, you know? I kept just expecting to see you coming towards me, a big smile on your face and a quip to start a conversation. Everytime it didn't happen, I missed you."

Tony swallowed. "What happened, happened, and nothing we do can change that. I don't know when it became the norm for the Avengers, and you, to blame me automatically when something goes wrong, but I can't deal with that anymore. That's not a normal that I want to be part of. Not anymore."

Steve looked down and felt all the fight leave him. He couldn't argue with Tony, because he was right. Somewhere along the line, he'd lost perspective. It was easy to blame Tony, and he'd started doing it without even thinking about the situation.

"I hope… I hope we can rebuild a friendship," he said eventually. "I know I've made mistakes, and… I'd like to make up for that. You were my first real friend when I woke up, and I think I lost sight of that."

"Hey, you weren't the only one who fucked up," Tony said then. "I own my own mistakes too, Steve, and I know you're not the only one who's messed things up. I just… I'm done taking responsibility for the mistakes of others too, you know? And hey, two teams… it might be good. Maybe this way, I can get to know Steve Rogers, rather than Captain America."

"I'd like that, Tony."

…

It took awhile for them to get used to being on separate teams, but slowly, the compound was filled with laughter and friendship again. Steve's team took many of the calls for domestic cases, leaving Tony's team for the few calls that came in for more extraterrestrial threats. With both Thor and Carol, they were much better equipped to deal with it.

Only one fight required them all, and during it, they worked well together. Steve and Tony led their own teams, but they worked together too, and by the end of it, they'd succeeded in winning with little collateral damage.

The Accords Council were practically swooning with happiness.

…

"You are happy," Thor said, when Tony slumped on the sofa beside him.

Tony looked around the room. Both teams were sprawled over the many sofas in the compound rec room, while Clint, Natasha and Rhodey argued over what movie they were going to watch.

"I guess I am," Tony admitted, and Thor grinned, wrapping his arm around Tony's shoulder. He tugged the genius close as Bruce sat down on Tony's other side and tugged his legs up onto his lap.

They did this a lot, often one or both of them were close by whenever Tony had a moment of downtime. Not that he was complaining at all, but they did confuse him a little. Often, he had a feeling like he was missing something important.

As Thor and Bruce exchanged a look and a smile, Tony thought that maybe he wouldn't mind waiting for whatever it was he was missing to fall into place. That shared smile only promised good things for him, whatever it was.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney; D3. "You deliberately disobeyed me. And what's worse, you put [name] in danger."

Em's Emporium - 6. Write about a fight.

Liza - 4. Someone de-stressing

365\. 70. Permission

1000\. 911. Caring


	26. TonySteve 4

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing -** TonySteve, but very much a Team!fic

 **Word Count** \- 2348

* * *

 **Inherent Comfort**

* * *

 _Nobody knew when the habits started, or when they became the new norm. The only thing they did know, was that there was something inherently comforting about Tony Stark._

 _..._

I

He scrambled out of the mess of sheets, sweat dripping down his face. Only when he looked in the mirror to see brown eyes looking back at him did his lungs remember how breathing worked.

He'd been so sure he'd see the blue that Loki's staff had turned them.

Clint gripped the dresser tightly, staring at the mirror. His knuckles were turning white from his tight grip, but he couldn't force himself to let go. Eventually, when his breathing was coming easier, he released his hands and stepped back from the mirror. He turned to his bed, but the thought of climbing back beneath the sheets was enough to send a shiver of fear up his spine.

While logically, Clint knew that Thor had taken Loki back to Asgard, in his dreams he had no such assurances.

Instead, he grabbed a black S.H.I.E.L.D hoodie and pulled it on, before leaving his bedroom.

He expected to find the common room empty, but the tv was playing quietly, and Tony was sitting on the sofa, a soft looking blanket wrapped around him, a mug of coffee held between his hands.

He looked up when he saw Clint approaching, and there was a flash of understanding in his eyes, though it left so quickly that Clint wasn't sure if he'd imagined it.

A smile appeared on his face and a tablet appeared in his hands as though by magic.

"Legolas! Just the man I wanted to see. Come sit with me and look at these shiny new arrow designs."

"You were waiting up in the middle of the night to show me arrows?" Clint asked, as he approached the sofa. When he saw beside Tony, the genius lifted the blanket like it was nothing, and waiting expectantly for Clint to shuffle closer.

"Why yes I was," Tony replied, clearly lying and giving no shits that they both knew it. "Look!"

Clint leant closer still to see the arrow designs on the tablet, and he smiled when he saw one of them had purple arrowheads.

Tony set off rambling about the different features the different arrows had, pausing occasionally for a breath or to sip from his coffee cup, and before Clint knew it, the sun was rising, shining through the large windows of the common room.

When Tony finally trailed off, Clint was feeling relaxed and in better control of himself, the nightmare not forgotten, but pushed back into the box he tried to keep it locked in.

"Morning guys," Natasha greeted, when she entered with her own coffee. She gave them a long, measured look, before she nodded once. "Clint, training room in twenty?"

He nodded. "I'll be there."

Uncurling himself, he moved the blanket off himself and stood. As he passed, he squeezed Tony's shoulder in silent gratitude.

…

II

Natasha walked around the compound silently, running her hands against the walls as she did. It wasn't often that the red room haunted her dreams, but when it did, she couldn't fight the compulsion to remark her territory.

She needed to force her mind to believe that she was away from that, away from her past. Protected. Safe.

The tower helped, having somewhere that she knew she was welcome, that she knew was hers, it helped.

"Tash?"

She turned, her hand automatically moving to rest on her hip where one of her throwing knives laid in wait.

Tony was standing by the door to his workshop, squinting slightly at her.

"What is it, Tony?"

He blinked at her, silent for a long moment, before he seemed to realise she was waiting for an answer.

"Have you got a minute? I could use a hand with your bites."

She hesitated, then nodded, stepping into his workshop. It was so entirely different from the place that haunted her sleep that she relaxed almost instantly. Tony threw up more holograms, the blue light shining brightly in the workshop.

"I have…" He looked around and finally his face lit up. "Three new sets for you to try out and… erm… where is it… oh, here, this is to test them out on."

He handed her the widow bites and led her to the testing area.

"Be brutal," he said, stepping back. "I need to know what works and what doesn't."

Natasha did as he asked. She didn't hold back, and forty five minutes later, she perched on the table of the workshop.

"Tony?"

He turned to look at her, eyes brightening when he saw her smiling. "Gimme all the details."

She didn't say thank you, but an hour later, when she gently hugged him before she left the workshop, she thought he knew anyway.

…

III

"You were quiet at dinner."

Thor looked up to see Tony standing by the sofa, his head tilted to the side curiously. Thor had left the group gathering early, attempted sleep that refused to come, and once he was quite certain the others had gone to bed, he'd returned to the common area of the tower.

The windows there were the best for him to look upon the sky, especially at night.

"My Lady Jane and I have… she has decided to pursue another path in her life. We are no longer involved."

Tony's eyes widened with understanding and he wrinkled his nose. "I'm sorry," he murmured. "Breakups are never fun."

Thor nodded sullenly. Tony stepped over to the window, and Thor watched him curiously.

"Did you hear about the stories we have for the constellations?" Tony asked, glancing back at Thor. "I always wondered if any of them matched up with anything you have on Asgard."

"Tell me?" Thor requested.

Tony nodded, and then turned back to Thor. "Fetch that sofa over here, Point Break. I'm far too old to be standing for hours."

Thor did as he was asked, and Tony flopped down onto the cushions, patting the seat beside him for Thor to sit with him. As soon as the two of them were comfortable, Tony pointed up to the sky and began his tale.

Thor listened carefully, smiling as the time passed and he realised that Tony had long given up on remembering the actual tales of the constellations and was making them up as he went along.

Thor wasn't of this planet, but he was quite sure that he could search the many realms and never find a soul quite as eager to offer comfort and solace to those he held dear than Tony Stark.

That Thor could count this man as one of his friends filled him with a warmth that helped to chase away the sorrow left behind by Jane.

…

IV

Tony caught Bruce before he could leave. The man was almost done packing when Tony skidded into the doorway, almost smashing his face against the wall as he did.

"Bruce?"

"Tony."

"What… what's going on?"

"I… need to leave for a while."

"Why?"

"I just…"

"Bruce… if this is about what happened—"

"I could have killed one of you, Tony!"

Tony shook his head. "No, you were fine, Bruce, Hulk, he was fine. Didn't even try and hurt any of us!"

Bruce frowned, bent as he was to put another pair of trousers into the hastily packed duffle bag.

"What do you mean?"

"J, gimme a screen wouldja?" Tony requested.

Bruce stood up in time to see his transformation into the green monster that lived inside of him. He watched, completely flabbergasted as Tony walked towards the Hulk as though they were age old friends. He watched the softening of wild eyes set on a green face, and he watched Tony lead the Hulk to the Hulk room as though it was nothing.

What followed was worse, or better, depending on your thought process. Tony had a screen put up, much the same as he had now, and Bruce could only watch on in utter disbelief as Tony settled into the Hulk's side as the two of them watched _Toy Story._

"Tony…" Bruce trailed off, at a loss for words.

"The hulk is my friend," Tony said firmly. "The same way that Bruce Banner is my friend. If you need to leave, Bruce, I won't stop you, but… don't leave because of him. He's safe here with us, and we're safe with him."

"I…" Bruce looked down at the half full duffle bag. "He likes _Disney?"_

"And Star Trek," Tony confirmed with a small smile. "If you're not leaving, I promised him some stretchy trousers, so you should come help me in the workshop, okay?"

Tony left the room, and Bruce stared after him, a gentle warmth igniting in his chest. He'd never felt so… so utterly accepted.

With a final look at the bag, Bruce shook his head and walked out of the room for the elevator. Tony was waiting for him in the workshop.

...

V

A lot of people thought if Steve was going to have nightmares, it would be about the ice, but that wasn't strictly true. Sure, he hated being cold, but he didn't actually remember being frozen, so Steve's nightmares weren't often about the ice.

When Steve had nightmares, it was about pre-serum life. It was about Bucky and Peggy, and the Howling Commandos. It was about a life he missed so much sometimes that it was hard to breathe.

When that happened, Steve found that the easiest way to distract himself was to wrap himself around the best thing he'd found in the future.

Often, he only had to turn over in bed to find Tony laid next to him. He could easily pull the smaller man closer, bury his face in Tony's hair, and remember the peace and happiness the man brought him.

Other times, it was a ride in the elevator down to the workshop, where Tony would be either whirling around the place like a spinning top, or sitting at his worktable, fiddling with something beyond Steve's ability to comprehend.

When he was awake, Tony would open his arms silently and let Steve take him in his arms, and pull what he needed from him. He gave everything he had without ever asking for anything in return, and Steve couldn't believe that he'd ever believed Tony to be anything but the incredible man he was.

"You okay, baby?" Tony asked, turning over. He'd been dozing on the bed, not truly asleep, but not fully awake either. Steve lay beside him, drawing nonsensical patterns on his palm.

"I'm better than okay," Steve replied quietly, shifting onto his side to face Tony, pulling the smaller man against him. "I love you."

"I love you too. Nap, and then… Italian? I think I fancy Italian for dinner."

Steve chuckled. "Whatever you want, sweetheart."

For everything that Tony gave to Steve, gave to all of them, he could give Tony this.

…

+I

Tony _despised_ being sick.

It didn't happen often, surprising when one looked at the amount of injuries he'd sustained and his general health being what it was. Regardless, Tony didn't really get sick, and whenever he did get sick, he was absolutely miserable the entire time.

And lonely.

Because the only thing worse than being sick, was letting other people in when he was so weak and vulnerable.

That had always worked fine, because as much as Rhodey and Pepper loved him, they were used to him disappearing for days at a time and they didn't worry so long as JARVIS didn't contact them.

Now though… now he lived with a team of superheroes and spies, and they wouldn't just leave him to deal with it by himself.

They wouldn't have known, Tony maintained, if only they hadn't been called out for a mission. Sick as he was, Tony was having a few problems managing the armor, and when he stumbled as he landed, Steve's eyes had narrowed.

"M'fine," he tried to assure them, as soon as JARVIS removed the suit on the landing pad. "Just going to head down t' the workshop."

Steve caught him around the waist and held him firmly against his chest. "You, are not well," he murmured. "Let us take care of you, Tones."

"Don't need it," Tony replied weakly, even as he sagged against Steve's warmth. "M'fine."

"Then take care of us?" Steve offered. "We need some team bonding after that fight, and that means curling up on the sofa with a hot drink, lots of blankets and cuddling, and maybe some soup."

Tony turned his head to look up at Steve. He tried to glare but he was too damn tired to put any effort into it. "I know what you're up to, you sneaky sneak."

"Uh huh," Steve agreed. He led Tony to the sofa, barely managing to restrain himself from just picking the genius up. There was a flurry of activity round them, as Clint left to the kitchen to make hot chocolate, and Natasha hunted down pillows and blankets. Bruce was muttering rapidly to JARVIS, asking for stats on Tony, his temperature and how long he'd been sick.

"This isn't necessary, y'know," Tony mumbled, as Steve arranged Tony across his lap on the sofa, with a scarlet blanket covering them both.

Steve smiled slightly and pressed a kiss to Tony's temple. "I know you don't _need_ help, sweetheart. But, maybe from us, it's okay to _want_ it, okay?"

Tony opened and closed his mouth a few times before he closed his eyes and relaxed against Steve.

"Okay."

Thor sat down on the floor in front of Tony and Steve and Clint and Natasha joined him, followed closely by Bruce.

"JARVIS, a star movie please," Thor announced, seemingly very pleased with himself when Tony chuckled.

The opening credits of Star Wars appeared on the screen, and Tony snuggled deeper into Steve, nuzzling in for warmth.

"Love you guys," he whispered, his eyes closing slowly.

"We love you too, sweetheart."

* * *

 **Also Written For;**

365 - 79. Incredible

1000 - 934. Scarlet


	27. TonySteve 5

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing** \- Can be read as SteveTony, but more friendship than romance.

 **Word Count** \- 665

* * *

 **Not A Hardship**

* * *

He was still talking. How was he still talking? Steve was entirely baffled by the words spewing out of Tony's mouth, mostly because he didn't realise people could talk that long without actually pausing to _breathe._

Steve didn't even understand what he was talking about. Whatever had given him this particular inspiration would probably be best discussed with Dr Banner, but Steve reasoned that he'd been the only one in the kitchen when the blabbermouth genius appeared from the workshop on a coffee run.

"Tony, when did you last sleep?" Steve asked, arching an eyebrow as he interrupted Tony midflow.

Tony stopped speaking abruptly and blinked. Steve saw the moment he realised Steve was even in the room and he snorted. Apparently, Tony's stream of words hadn't even been aimed at him; he'd been talking to himself.

"Erm…"

"If I may, Captain Rogers," JARVIS' voice sounded in the kitchen. "Sir last slept—"

"None of that, J," Tony interrupted, glaring at one of the sensors in the corner of the room.

"Forty four hours ago," JARVIS finished, ignoring Tony.

"You're a goddamn tattletale, J," Tony groused, clutching his coffee cup to his chest protectively, when both of Steve's eyebrows raised. "I'm fine, I've run longer when I've been on a streak, its—"

"You're going to bed," Steve said, shaking his head. "And you're going to sleep. You're going to make yourself ill, Tony!"

"I'm _fine!_ "

"And you'll be better when you've slept some," Steve replied flatly.

"I can't!" Tony snapped. "Okay? Rhodey is away at the moment, which means I can't sleep until I physically can't do anything else because I can't sleep alone anymore!"

Steve blinked. "Oh. I, uh, didn't realise you and Colonel Rhodes were—"

"No," Tony said, slumping back against the counter. "We're not together, Cap. That's… my honeybear is straighter than a ruler. He just… he sleeps beside me so if I wake up, I'm not on my own. Look, this isn't a thing. He'll be back in a few days, and until then, I'm _fine_ , so—"

Steve stared at Tony for a long moment, before he stepped forward and gently pried the cup from his hands. He placed it on the side and then carefully put his hands on the smaller man's shoulders, and pushed him gently from the kitchen.

Tony protested, as expected, but he allowed Steve to push him into the elevator, and didn't say anything when he quietly requested JARVIS take them to Tony's floor.

Once there, Steve led Tony to the bed, and looked at him expectantly until Tony sighed, shucked off his jeans, and climbed beneath the covers.

"This isn't going to work, Steve," Tony said quietly. "I appreciate that you're worried, but—what on earth are you doing?"

Steve was unfastening his belt, and when his own jeans dropped to the floor, he kicked them off and climbed in beside Tony.

"You said you can only sleep when there's someone beside you," Steve said quietly. "So if this is what you need to get some rest, I'm happy to help."

Tony shifted uncomfortably. "Steve, you don't… this isn't necessary. I'm _fine."_

"You're dead on your feet," Steve replied. "And I hope you don't mind, but I'm a cuddler, so," he tugged Tony across the bed, turning him easily until he could slot up behind Tony, with his arm around the smaller man's waist.

Tony was stiff beneath him, almost frozen in Steve's arms, but the super soldier waited for long moments until finally, Tony relaxed back against him, his hand moving over Steve's until he could link their fingers together.

"Thanks," Tony whispered, burying his face deeper against the pillow.

"Anytime," Steve replied, holding him just a little bit tighter. He meant it too. This wasn't a hardship in any sense, and if it meant Tony could get some rest, he'd do it whenever it was necessary. "Sleep, Tony."

Tony hummed already halfway there. Steve smiled into the brunette hair. Yeah, this definitely wasn't a hardship.

* * *

Written for;

365 - 82. Inspiration

1000 - 4. Blabbermouth


	28. TonyClint 4

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing** \- TonyClint

 **Word Count** \- 1235

* * *

 **I've Got You Now**

* * *

"We're going to get out of this," Tony murmured, pressing a desperate kiss against Clint's temple. "I'm going to get us out of here. I promise, Clint, just… just hold on for a little while longer."

A wordless groan was the only reply, and Tony knew that Clint was hovering between consciousness and not.

This was all his fault. A crazy stalker, with an extra splash of insane, had captured the two of them when they'd nipped out of the tower for pizza. At first, they'd assumed it to be Avenger's business, but it had quickly become clear that this particular nut-case was all about Tony.

Tony had tried everything he could think of to get Clint out of there. He'd begged and bargained, made promises that if only Clint was released, Tony would do whatever the guy wanted, but it had only made the man madder.

He was so angry that Tony cared so much about Clint that he'd do anything to see the archer released.

Tony had his own injuries, earned with a smart mouth and a protective streak, but Clint was a mess. Fresh blood mixed with dry, and he was bruised everywhere Tony could see. He was also almost completely sure that there was at least one broken rib, and none of that took into account any internal injuries.

"We're going to be okay," Tony whispered, fighting against the bonds holding him in place. He'd been at it for hours, and he was almost there. Just a few more minutes and he'd have his hands free.

A bang in the distance made him look up sharply, his neck protesting the movement with a twinge of pain. The ropes were tough, but just as Tony freed one of his hand, the door opened, and Natasha stood in the doorway, eyes alight with rage and fire.

"Oh thank fuck," Tony muttered, leaning down to undo the fastenings around his legs. "Clint, help Clint," he said, when she approached. "I got this."

She nodded, quickly slicing through the binding's holding Clint, and lowered him carefully onto his back on the floor.

"C'mon Clint, breathe," she murmured, and Tony's heart stopped. He hadn't, he didn't… he'd thought Clint had only lost consciousness.

"Breathe, you fucker," Natasha whispered, doing chest compressions. "Come on!"

"Tony? Tony, come on, we've gotta get you out of here!"

Tony blinked and realised Steve was directly in front of him, trying to help him stand.

"Clint," Tony whimpered. "He, i didn't, he can't, I—"

"Shit, he's going into shock," another voice muttered. "We need to get them out of here."

Tony barely registered Bruce's presence, but there was a sharp scratch and then blackness and Tony knew no more.

…

Tony was alone when he woke up. He was lying on fresh white sheets in a private room in the Tower's medical bay. A button to his side was waiting for him to call someone, but he ignored it.

Clint was…

It was all his fault. Curling in on himself as tightly as he could, Tony felt tears dripping down his face. He should have been faster. If he'd been faster, if he could have gotten them out of there quicker…

His body ached, protesting the ball he'd curled up in, but it was nothing to the pain in his chest.

"Tony?"

Tony ignored Steve's soft tone, pressing his face into the pillow more so he wouldn't have to look and see the pain and accusations in Steve's gaze. He knew the team wouldn't outwardly blame him, but he knew privately, in their own heads, they'd be cursing him.

Asking themselves why he hadn't been smarter, stronger, faster. Asking themselves why Tony hadn't been able to save Clint.

"Tony, where are you hurt?" Steve asked, closer now. A warm hand touched on Tony's shoulder and he flinched away. He didn't deserve comfort, didn't deserve friendly touches when Clint was dead and would never feel them again.

"I'm going to call in the doctor, okay? You have to tell them what's causing this pain."

Tony shook his head roughly. He didn't need a doctor.

"M'fine," he managed to spit out.

"Uh-huh," Steve replied, clearly questioning Tony's sanity. "Clint's asking for you. He wants to make sure you're okay."

It took a moment for the words to sink in, and Tony turned his face to look at the Captain. "What?"

"Clint, he wants to know if you're okay. He's worried about you."

"He, he's not, I thought—"

It took a minute for Steve to realise what was going on, and when he did, he paled a little and wrapped his arms around Tony, gently tugging him to the end of the bed to hold him closer.

"He's going to be fine," he murmured, stroking Tony's back. "I promise, Tony, Clint's okay. A little bashed up, but he's okay."

"But Nat—"

"She saved him. He was awake and alert before we even left the warehouse you were being held in," Steve replied.

Tony wasn't sure what to do with that information. He knew Steve wasn't lying, the super soldier would never lie about something like that, and if Clint… if he was...

Tony pulled himself out of Steve's grasp and pushed himself up on the bed, swinging his legs over the side. He felt dizzy but he fought through it, uninterested in his own well being. He had to see with his own eyes that Clint was alive and alert and okay.

"Whoa, Tony slow—"

Steve caught Tony when he pitched forwards, trying and failing to support his own weight on shaky legs.

"I need to see," Tony begged. "Please, Steve."

"Okay," Steve murmured, carefully lifting Tony into a bridal carry. "I'll take you, just, please calm down, Tony."

Tony didn't even protest being carried, certainly a first for him, and his heart pounded painfully in his chest.

Steve shouldered open a door to another private room, and there, on the bed, was Clint. He was awake and half upright, propped up on a tower of pillows behind him.

When he saw Tony in Steve's arms, his eyes immediately softened, and he raised his arms for the genius. More tears fell as Steve gently place Tony on the bed to the side of Clint, and more tears fell from Tony's eyes as Clint immediately pulled him close, disregarding his what had to be sore torso.

Tony felt like he couldn't breathe, and when he tried to speak, he ended up coughing hard, his body wracked with tremors.

"Just take a deep breath, I've got you now," Clint murmured, pressing a kiss to Tony's temple. "I'm right here, we're okay."

Tony nodded shakily. "I thought, I thought—"

"He, uh, thought you hadn't made it out," Steve said quietly, when Tony couldn't finish the sentence.

"Oh, baby, no," Clint, murmured. "It'll take more than a nutter with a crush to take me out. We're okay, sweetheart. I promise, no lasting damage."

"Love you," Tony whispered into Clint's neck. "Love you, love you, love you."

"I know babe, I love you too. Think you can sleep for a bit? Am tired, and I'd quite like you to stay right where you are while we rest a little."

Tony nodded, carefully snuggling even closer. "Not going anywhere."

Clint smiled, shuffling carefully until they were both lying down. "Good. Sleep baby, I'll be right here when you wake up."

* * *

 **Written For;**

365; 80. Tough

1000; 250. "Just take a deep breath, I've got you now."


	29. TonySteve 6

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- SteveTony

 **Word Count** \- 3016

 **AN** \- Not canon compliant, but does include a few details from Civil War. Very much AU though.

* * *

 **The Start Of Something**

* * *

Steve loved watching Tony work usually. He got so intensely fixated on whatever he was doing that he often forgot Steve was even there. He'd talk to himself constantly too, little mutters that made little sense to Steve. He'd asked Tony about it once.

"The reason I talk to myself is that I'm the only one whose answer I accept… especially when it comes to my suit."

Oddly, Steve understood the logic. It was the same as when Tony told him, "Trust me, I'm a genius!"

Anything to do with tech, and Tony certainly knew the ins and outs of every single detail that could possibly matter.

That was why Steve had believed that Tony knew about his growing affections. He'd believed that since Tony was a genius in the one aspect, he probably was in all of them.

It turned out, Tony didn't have a clue. His social awareness wasn't anywhere close to his technical genius.

Steve tried to make himself a bit more obvious. He dedicated more time to the workshop, sitting on the rickety sofa and playing with the bots—his favourite of Tony's creations—while he watched Tony's face as he worked on the red and gold suit.

Tony was adorable when he was working—not that Steve would ever tell him as much, of course. He could only imagine the expression that would earn him, but he didn't want to make Tony pout at him, so he refrained.

Despite what the press said about him constantly, there was a childlike innocence about Tony that drew Steve in. He was so enthusiastic about the things he loved, and Steve could sit for hours just listening to him talk.

Falling in love with Tony was the easiest thing Steve had ever done. He didn't even have to put any effort in to make it happen. It just… did.

And then, slowly, Tony started to look at him a little different. He looked longer too, and he blushed profusely when Steve caught him, his cheeks turning a rose pink which left Steve unable to hide his smile.

Tony started losing concentration on his work because of Steve's proximity, and he'd go from his tech to talking to Steve without even noticing he was doing it.

Steve managed to get him out of the workshop more and more too; convincing Tony to go out of the tower to eat because one of Steve's favourite games. His favourite was when Tony was in a good mood; that was when Steve felt safe to manhandle him, carrying him out of the workshop with ease.

He always got a "Pick on someone your own size!" for his efforts, but Tony would always smile that sweet smile of his and settle into Steve's embrace until they had to leave the tower.

He'd thought it had been the start of something. It _should_ have been the start of something.

Until it all went to shit.

…

" _Did you know?"_

" _He's my friend."_

" _So was I."_

…

"I'm surprised Tony's even letting us all back into New York, never mind the Tower," Clint said, as the jet neared the runway. "So maybe don't fuck it up this time, eh, Cap?"

Steve sighed.

"Nobody forced you to side with him," Nat groused back at Clint, frowning at him.

Clint nodded once before he averted his gaze.

It happened a lot. Whenever Clint made the smallest of comments on how long they'd been away from America, Nat would snap at him. She'd been off with all of them, despite having let them go at the airport, since she'd arrived in Wakanda.

Steve knew she regretted turning against Tony. Hell, Steve regretted having to fight against Tony. He'd never wanted that, not for any of them.

He could only hope that, since Tony had fought for them, had fought for their pardons and their return, that he was as ready to move on from everything as Steve was.

That hope fled when they finally landed and Tony was nowhere to be seen.

…

Steve sat at the breakfast bar, hands wrapped around a steaming mug of coffee. It was late, or early, depending on your point of view, but he'd been unable to sleep. They'd been back at the tower for five days, and he still hadn't see their wayward landlord.

A bang, a "fuck, ow, who put that door there," and a stumble told Steve that that was about to change.

Sure enough, Tony appeared in the doorway seconds later. He froze when he saw Steve, his hand on the door frame.

"Huh. You're… here. Right. I… might have forgotten that that was this week."

Steve frowned. "Are you… drunk?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "I haven't had a drink for five months, four days and three hours, _thank you."_

"I had to ask. You're—"

"Entirely sleep deprived," Tony replied, before Steve could say anything else. He opened the fridge and pulled out a bottle of water. "And now I'm going to remedy that. Night, Cap."

Steve watched him walk away with a sinking heart. Just the smallest glimpse of the genius had made his heart race and his palms sweat and he knew without doubt that the time away hadn't changed his feelings.

If anything, they'd only intensified.

He had a feeling that getting closer to him would be a whole lot more difficult this time though. Tony tended to close himself off to anyone who hurt him.

Not that Steve could blame him.

He'd seriously messed up.

…

"Nope, not today, son," Tony said, zapping one of the robots that were attempting to knock him out of the sky. Steve could practically hear the smirk in his tone.

They were fighting in the middle of nowhere, a run of the mill recon mission suddenly turned into a robot attack. It didn't help that it was just the two of them.

Thankfully, the robots were easy to take out, so despite the number of them, they were holding their own. Steve shuddered to think what would have happened if Tony hadn't seriously upgraded his suit into the nanotech miracle it was these days.

If he hadn't had the suit—

It didn't bear thinking about.

Eventually, they managed to fight off the bots and they were left just the two of them, panting and a little worse for wear, but importantly alive.

"Well, that was fun."

"You've got a strange idea of fun," Steve replied fondly. "We should head back to the jet, it's getting late."

Tony nodded, offering out his arm. "I'm not walking, seems like an effort. You remember how this works, right?"

Steve stepped forwards, wrapping his arms around Tony and stepping onto his boot. Tony waited until he was sure Steve had a tight grip and then activated his repulsors. He had them back at the jet in just a few minutes — entirely too soon for Steve's taste.

Just as Tony was about to land, a small missile sailed past them. It was only Tony's quick movements to take off again that got them out of range. Even in his costume, Steve knew he wouldn't have survived the blast.

"Shit, are you okay?" Tony asked. Even the suit voice modulator sounded shaky.

"Fine, I'm fine," Steve promised. "You got us out of the way. The jet… won't be moving anytime soon though."

Tony turned in the air and looked down, shaking his head. "No. No it won't. I can't fly us all the way back to New York but… If you can hold on for a while, I can get us to the nearest town. Hopefully, there will be a hotel or something?"

Steve nodded, tightening his grip on the suit. "Sure, Tony."

They were silent as they flew, and by the time Tony found them a town with a hotel, Steve had to admit he was glad to be landing. The air was cold, and he'd never been great with the cold.

"This way," Tony said, as he retracted his suit into the new reactor on his chest. "It's only a couple of minutes walk."

Steve fell into step, idly wondering if tonight would be the night that they could actually talk. He'd tried a few times, since he'd been back, but Tony always had an excuse to be somewhere else the moment Steve got anywhere close to the subjects he wanted to speak about.

Maybe tonight, when it was just the two of them, with nowhere else for Tony to be, they could actually _talk_.

…

"We've only got one room left," the woman on the counter said apologetically. "And it's only got one bed."

Tony sighed. "It'll do. Just… tell me that there's a phone and room service?"

"Of course, Mr Stark."

Tony nodded and handed over his card. Moments later, it was handed back along with a key card.

The elevator ride seemed awkward, charged, but Steve didn't know how to make it normal again. Tony stayed silent as they walked along the carpeted corridor to their room and he opened the door.

The little noise of distaste he made when they walked inside made Steve chuckle, and Tony turned to glower at him for a moment.

"It's floral," Tony complained. "Why is it floral?"

"Hey, at least there's power and a phone line, right?" Steve asked, putting the tv on. "I'm sure you can deal with floral for one night."

Tony grumbled quietly, but picked up the phone. Minutes later, and he was complaining heavily to Nat, who seemed to be laughing at him down the phone.

When he finished the call, he closed his eyes for a moment and then looked at Steve. "They'll be here tomorrow to pick us up. Order whatever you want from the menu, I'm going to shower."

Steve nodded and let Tony go without a fight. He could see the man was uncomfortable with the situation and he didn't want to make him feel worse. He ordered a selection from the menu, and made sure to pick a few things he knew Tony wouldn't be able to resist while he was at it, and as Tony got out of the shower, the food arrived.

"Just in time," Steve said quietly, opening the room door to let the porter enter with the trolley.

Steve tipped her silently and she left, leaving behind a slightly awkward silence, broken only by the tv.

"I got you some things too," Steve said, nodding at the trolley. "You didn't say what you wanted so I just got a mixture."

Tony nodded. "Thanks."

They ate in silence, though thankfully it got easier as the minutes ticked passed. Tony seemed to be enjoying the mindless reality show on TV, or at least, it was keeping him occupied enough that he slowly relaxed.

Steve, grateful that he'd been wearing a t-shirt and shorts beneath his uniform, took a quick shower after eating and carefully folded up his uniform. At least he wouldn't have to attempt to sleep in it.

When he returned to the bedroom, Tony was sitting on the bed, waiting for him. "I, uh, didn't know what side you wanted so…" he trailed off, biting his lip.

Steve wanted to sleep closest to the door, just in case there was an attack, but he knew Tony wouldn't appreciate that at all, so he shrugged. "Whichever side you want is fine, I'm not bothered."

Tony nodded and just slipped under the covers. Steve swallowed hard and climbed in the other side. It wasn't a small bed by any means, but Steve wasn't a small guy, and Tony was a grown man too.

Each of them lay on their backs, stiff and uncomfortable.

"I, uh… I hope we might talk," Steve said, his tone quiet and unsure. "There's a lot that we should—"

"I don't want to talk anymore," Tony said. He sounded so tired, and it made Steve want to cry because he'd caused that. "I'm sick of talking. Talking doesn't get us anywhere."

"We haven't actually talked about anything," Steve replied. "Not properly. I just… I just want to apologise properly and… sort things out. I miss you."

"You don't… you don't need to apologise. We both made mistakes. We both fucked up on a pretty magnificent scale. Can't we just… leave it alone?"

Steve hesitated then turned on his side to face Tony. "I miss you," he repeated. "I miss how we were… before."

Tony sighed. "It is what it is, Steve."

"But it doesn't have to be. We can get that back. We can… work on it."

"Get what back?" Tony asked, throwing his hand up. "We weren't anything, not really. We weren't… we weren't anything."

"We were," Steve argued quietly. "We were a lot, and we were working our way to being more. I want that, Tony. I want.. I want more."

"More what? I don't… I don't know what you want from me, Steve."

"I want _you,_ Tony. I always did, and the time away… it didn't change anything. Not for me, not in this. I want you so much that it's hard to _breathe_ sometimes. I want you so much that it _hurts_. I love you, Tony."

"No," Tony replied firmly. "You don't… _that._ You _don't._ "

"I do," Steve replied, tone just as firm.

"You can't."

It hurt Steve to hear Tony practically begging him to retract his words, but he couldn't. He wouldn't lie, not about this. He wouldn't tell Tony that he didn't mean it, that he was wrong when he knew he wasn't.

"I can. I do. Tony, I'm not expecting you to… immediately jump into a relationship with me—" Steve was cut off by a 'meep' escaping from Tony. "But… tell me you don't feel anything for me, and I'll back off, I promise. But… but if you do feel… anything similar… then give me a chance. Let me prove to you that we can be good for each other."

"You don't want me, Steve," Tony whispered. "I'm a mess. I work too much, I don't understand people, I'm not good boyfriend material. Ask Pepper. She's known me for years and even she couldn't deal with my shit. I'm not good at this, in fact, I'm practically terrible at it."

"I don't need you to be anything other than who you are, Tony. I don't need you to change, or try and be someone you're not. I just need you to be you."

"Steve—"

"Tell me you don't want me and I'll back off and we can forget all about this."

Tony silence spoke far more than any words he could have said. Steve reached a hand out and rested it lightly on Tony's bicep.

"Just give me a chance. Go on a date with me, when we get home. Let me take you for dinner."

"This… this is a terrible idea, Steve. Like, the worst idea. And I know bad ideas, I've met Reed Richards, he's a walking bad idea, and this is like… a worse idea than the shit he's got in his head."

Steve snorted. He'd met Reed too.

"One date," Steve murmured, shifting slightly closer.

Tony sighed and turned his head to look at Steve. He was chewing on his lower lip, and there was fear obvious in his eyes. "I… You scare me. Because… if we do this, and it goes bad… I've already spent months with you _not here_ , Steve. I don't… I don't want to do that again and this… this is a bad idea because—"

Steve leant closer and covered Tony's lips with his own, pressing gently. Tony froze beneath him for a moment before he made a noise of surrender and kissed back, his hand automatically reaching out to clutch at Steve's shirt.

When Steve pulled back, he ran a gentle finger along Tony's cheek. "I promise you, Tony, even if this doesn't work out, I won't leave you again. I _promise_ you that."

Tony held his gaze for a long moment. "I'm going to hold you to that, you know. You're not allowed to leave me again, Steve. The world needs us to work together. And… I need you. You make me better. I don't want to do it alone again."

Steve, chancing that Tony would be as cuddly as Steve always thought he would be, reached out bother arms and tugged Tony close, holding him against his wide chest. Tony stiffened and then relaxed completely, pressing his face against Steve's neck.

"You won't be alone again," Steve whispered into the dark. "I won't let you be."

…

Steve woke up, warm and comfortable. It took him a moment to remember that the reason he was so warm was because of the body sprawled halfway across his own, but when he did, his heart jumped in his chest.

Tony.

He looked down, smiling when he saw the genius still sleeping, a little wet patch on Steve's shirt from his drool. It should be disgusting really, but it wasn't. It was endearing—like most of what Tony did, if Steve were ever asked his opinion.

Steve tightened his arms slightly and closed his eyes, enjoying the moment for as long as he could. There was a small part of him that wondered if Tony would wake up and decide he didn't want anything to do with Steve, that he didn't want anything to change.

Tony shuffled in his embrace and sighed deeply. "You're thinking too loud, stoppit."

Steve snorted and Tony opened one eye to look up at him. "Nothing changed in the night. You make a comfortable pillow."

Steve rolled his eyes, but splayed his hand possessively over Tony's back. He didn't know what would happen next, or if they'd work through their many issues and make it work, but he was hopeful. It was later than he'd wanted, and had taken too many tears, too much pain and sorrow and guilt, but this…

It was the start of something Steve had always wanted.

He could only be grateful that they'd made it here in the end.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Sharing A Bed

Assorted Appreciation - 3. Write about the start of something

Disney - S3. Write about someone falling in love

Book Club - Artemis Fowl - Gold / Power / "Trust me, I'm a genius."

Showtime - 5. Expression

Attic - 4. "The reason I talk to myself is that I'm the only one whose answer I accept."

Arcade - 7. Sakura - Intensely fixated / Losing concentration / Rose pink

Basement - Bucky - "Pick on someone your own size."

Film Festival - 20. Adorable

Days - 6. Near Miss Day - Write about a near miss

Spring - 4. Floral

Birthstone - 6. Turquoise - "I just had to ask."

Flower - 10. Allium - Bottle

Elemental - 5. Creation

Hufflepuff - 1. Dedicated

Star Chart - 13. June Solstice - Innocence

365 - 60. Costume

1000 - 241. "I don't want to talk anymore. I'm sick of talking. Talking isn't getting us anywhere."


	30. TonySteve 7

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** ; TonySteve preslash.

 **Word Count** \- 1824

* * *

 **Time To Move On**

* * *

"I'm going to kill them," Tony grumbled, slamming around the workshop. "Kill them all _dead."_

"You could kill them with kindness?" Rhodey suggested from the sofa, amusement evident in both his expression and his tone.

"Nah, not bloody enough," Tony replied. "I don't _want_ them here, Sour Patch. It's not going to go well. Like. At all."

"No, probably not. You do know that you can say no to this, right? You're allowed to say no. That is a thing."

Tony paused. "But… then they wouldn't be able to come back."

"Right. And? They're not your responsibility, Tones. They made their own choices. You've half killed yourself getting them pardoned—"

"Exactly," Tony interrupted. "So why throw all of that work away because I don't want them living with me?"

"— and it won't hurt them to wait a little longer until the Compound is ready for them," Rhodey finished, as though Tony hadn't interrupted.

"It's not all of them," Tony admitted with a sigh. "It's just… him."

"I mean, you probably owe him a punch."

"I shouldn't punch Captain America, Rhodey. That's… I'll break my hand."

Rhodey shrugged. "All's fair in love and punches."

Tony tilted his head. "I don't think that's how that goes."

…

Steve had a beard. Tony didn't know how to feel about that. He'd sort of expected Steve to return looking exactly the way he did before he left and it threw him off to see the change.

"Tony," Steve murmured, as the 'rogues' stepped off the elevator onto the communal floor of the tower residences. Tony hadn't used the floor for a really long time, but he'd had it aired and cleaned in preparation for the return. "It's good to see you."

"Ah, sure," Tony agreed. "You all know where your rooms are, nothing has changed in that regard. JARVIS—"

"JARVIS?" Natasha interrupted, head tilting slightly. "I thought he—"

"Bold of you to assume I don't keep him backed up in multiple places," Tony replied flatly. "Anyway, he'll answer your questions, same as always. You know where everything is."

"Tony, we need to—"

Tony turned his head away from Steve, and Nat nudged the soldier none too gently with her elbow, shaking her head.

"Well, this has been about as fun as flatulence in an elevator," Tony said, rolling his eyes. "But I got shit to do so… welcome home, don't blow the tower up, and… bye."

He turned and walked away, ever grateful for JARVIS when his AI closed the elevator behind him before anyone could call him back or try to follow him. He needed to escape the team before he did something stupid like believe they were still his friends.

"Do not disturb on the workshop, J," he said, as the door slid closed behind him. "And blackout. I don't want any of them near."

"Yes, Sir."

…

The night air was crisp on Tony's face. He was only wearing his bodysuit, having just returned from a mission. The others were prepping for debrief, but Tony just… needed a minute. It had been so strange, being back out in the field and hearing Steve issuing orders.

Not that Tony followed them, things hadn't changed that much, but just to hear it was… disorienting.

"Tony?"

Tony startled and turned around to glare at the intruder of his peace.

"Nat been teaching you stealth?" he grumbled.

Steve chuckled. "I think you were just… focused on… whatever you were thinking about."

Tony shrugged and turned away. "I'll be in in a minute."

"They're not ready yet," Steve replied quietly, stepping closer. "I just… wanted a minute to talk to you."

"Does it matter that I'd really rather not?"

"You don't want us here, do you?"

"Is that a serious question?" Tony asked, turning his head to Steve again. "After everything that happened… how can you possibly think I want any of you in my _home?"_

"Then why are we here?"

"Because there was nowhere else for you to be. They ran into a few difficulties with the Compound reconstruction, and they didn't have any other option than to come to me. It was here, or you lot stay in Wakanda for another however many months. Would you have rather me do that?"

"I… no. It's good to be home. It's an odd feeling, being here again, but it's good."

"You know an odd feeling? Sitting on the toilet eating a candy bar."

Steve blinked. "Erm… do I want to know why you know that's an odd feeling?"

Tony shrugged. "I was annoying Rhodey while he was in the bath. He force fed me chocolate."

Chuckling, Steve shook his head. "You… are something else, Tony Stark."

"So they tell me."

"If you really don't want us here… we can move, Tony. You don't have to house us. If—"

"If you move out, your pardons will be revoked. Loophole in the contracts. The UN are a pain in the ass."

"Yet, you wanted to work with them?"

"I… am not about to have this argument with you," Tony decided. "You signed the accords, that was your choice, Steve. Nobody forced your hand."

"Because they… the changes _you_ made… they make sense."

"Yeah well… if you'd talked to me, you'd have realised those changes were always coming. They would have been easier, if we'd stuck together on it but… hey, that's not what happened. It's done, it's not going to… talking about it won't make any of it go away, so I'd really rather we just… didn't. If it's all the same to you."

Steve sighed, but Nat (impeccable timing as always) popped her head out onto the balcony. "We're ready to start."

Tony nodded and walked inside, Steve trailing behind. Tony sat at the long table and concentrated on Fury's eyepatch. It was much easier than looking at anyone else in the room.

…

"Sometimes, I think I can be around them, and sometimes, I wanna punch them in the throat for even looking at me," Tony groused. "I… am not normally this indecisive, Sour Patch."

"You're not," Rhodey agreed. "But… I think you've probably earnt both feelings, so, it is what it is."

"I'm actually jealous of your logic right now. Stop it."

Rhodey laughed. "I still say you owe him a punch."

"I like my hands, Rhodey. I don't want them _broken."_

"You could always do it in the suit," Rhodey said, an innocent look on his face. "Seeing crimson dripping from his nose might make you feel better."

"When did you get so _bloodthirsty?"_

"When I had to watch you almost killing yourself fighting for people who never deserved you in the first place," Rhodey replied firmly.

"You suggested I kill them with kindness, and now you just want all the blood. See, this is why you should let me follow through on my idea's."

"You've gotta admit, it would've been hella funny if you'd been all sweet and welcoming. They'd have thought you were a pod person or something."

Tony rolled his eyes. "You've got a strange sense of humour, Honeybear."

…

"— you look sad when you think he can't see you. You need to talk to him."

Tony frowned but paused in front of the doors. He should probably announce his presence but… he was unwillingly curious. Shifting slightly, he managed to get a look in the living room. Steve and Barnes were sitting on the sofa, a sketchbook between them. They were both looking down at whatever was on the open page.

Tony wanted to see, because he was a nosy shit, but he couldn't get an angle.

"He doesn't want to talk to me, Buck. After everything, it's not like anyone can blame him for that, is it?"

"He cares about you too, you know?" Barnes replied. "I see the way he looks at you too, when he thinks nobody is watching. He's just…"

Steve leant his head back against the sofa. "You're my best friend, Buck, but you don't know _him_. Tony… when he cares, he _cares,_ you know? But when he feels like he's been betrayed… that's it. Over and done. He'll never trust me again. I knew all of that before, and I knew… I knew what I was losing when I came after you and when I fought for you."

Bucky sighed. "I just want you to be happy."

"I know," Steve said, tone gentle. "I know, but this… this isn't something that I can make better. Tony isn't going to forgive me and… I have to learn to live with that."

Tony walked away, coffee run forgotten.

…

He kicked his foot against the dirt, hands in his pocket.

"Are you okay?"

Tony turned to see Steve watching him from the gates. Tony stood in front of the compound, eyes on the many workmen dotted around the outside of it.

Steve's eyes were reflecting the sky blue, and it just made him even harder to look at.

"Have you ever wanted to be strong enough to fight, but also really, really just wanted to escape?"

"All the time," Steve admitted, stepping closer.

"I don't know how to move past what happened, but I want to," Tony said. "It's… I know that you're sorry, and I know that we all could have done better, you know? It wasn't just on you. Everyone single one of us made mistakes. It's just… of everyone I've ever met, you… I think I held you to a higher standard of honesty. And it's that that I'm stuck on, Steve, because you could have just told me!"

"I know."

"We walked right into his trap, and it all was for nothing. If I'd known… if I'd had time to process, to… I know, logically, that Barnes wasn't at fault. I do. I know that. But in that moment, watching him kill my mom… how was I supposed to react to that? How would you have reacted, if you had to watch Rhodey murdering your mom in cold blood, Steve?"

Steve ran a hand through his blond hair. "Probably worse than you did."

"I want to move on, I do," Tony said. "I just… I don't know how."

"We can… work on it?" Steve suggested. "It doesn't have to be everything all at once. We could start slowly, coffee, maybe lunch? We can… build up to what we used to be… build up to be _better_ than we used to be."

Tony turned to meet Steve's eyes. "Is that what you want? To be… better?"

"I want…" Steve sighed. "I want you in my life, Tony. In… whatever way you'll allow."

Tony nodded slowly. "Okay. I. Okay. We can work on… that. I'm done being angry about this. I'm done letting the bastard win."

"I missed you," Steve murmured. "So much, Tony."

"I missed you too."

They stood, side by side, looking up at a place they'd both called home. It was a start.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - "You could kill them with kindness?" / "Nah, not bloody enough."

Book Club - Mulch Diggums - Beard / Flatulence / Escape

Showtime - 12. Strong

Attic - 2. "You know an odd feeling? Sitting on the toilet eating a candy bar."

Arcade - 6. Crimson Viper - Crimson / Bodysuit / Stealth / Focused

Lowdown - D8. "You look sad when you think he can't see you."

Basement - Thor - Eyepatch

Film Festival - 16. "Is that a serious question?"

Days of the Year - 123. National Yo-Yo Day - Someone being indecisive

Spring - 5. Crisp

Colour - 2. Sky blue

Birthstone - 2. Emerald - "All's fair in love and punches." / "I don't think that's how that goes."

Flowers - 6. Freesia - Sketchbook

Elemental - 1. Dirt

Hufflepuff - 11. Gentle

Star Chart - 11. Ophiuchid Meteor Shower - Jealous

365 - 57. Disturb

1000 - 27. Loophole


	31. TonyRhodey

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Pairing** \- TonyRhodey (also, young!Tony here (in his twenties))

 **Word Count** \- 1279

* * *

 **A Wasted Wish**

* * *

"Target Acquired."

Tony had never been so glad to hear those words in his life. Instead of joining the others on the Quinjet, he turned and flew away, heading straight back to the tower. Steve tried to chastise him over the comms, but Tony ignored him, instructing JARVIS to tune it out now that the battle was over.

He was injured, and Rhodey was going to go mad. Again. Overprotective mama bear that he was, Rhodey was still salt that Tony had decided to join the Avengers in the first place, and he knew that this wasn't going to help change his mind.

Sure enough, as the suit was pulled off of him and he stepped down from the platform, Rhodey was there, his eyes narrowing critically as he took in Tony's appearance.

"Med bay," he ordered.

Tony shook his head. "No, sourpatch," he begged. "I don't want—"

"I'll stay with you the whole time," Rhodey promised softly, stepping closer. He wrapped his arm around the smaller man and pulled him gently into his side. "Come on, you little trouble maker."

Tony rolled his eyes, but he didn't protest (much) when Rhodey carefully led him into the elevator and instructed J to take them down to the med bay.

His team mates would be arriving soon, and Tony had hoped to be locked away in the workshop by the time they got there. Captain Condescending had a stick up his ass again, and no doubt Tony wouldn't hear the end of it until he acted contrite and apologised.

Steve Rogers seemed to think that just because Tony was young, and just because he'd grown up with the press dogging his every step and making up stories if Tony so much as sneezed, he was somehow better than Tony.

That Fury had made him the team leader only added to his self righteousness, not that he needed it.

It wasn't like Tony disliked the good Captain, he just didn't agree with a lot of the things that came out of his mouth. Particularly when he thought he could boss Tony around just because he was the 'leader'.

"So, how pissy is Captain Stick-up-his-ass?" Rhodey asked.

Tony spluttered on a laugh and then winced when his ribs protested. "Eh, probably a lot. He was shouting at me to go back to the jet when I had J take me off the team comms so."

Rhodey rolled his eyes. "Of course."

The doctors thankfully came into the room quickly, and before long, Tony was being scanned left and right, scowling at Rhodey the whole time.

"If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is he homeless or naked?"

Rhodey blinked. "What?"

"If a turtle—"

"No, I heard you but… what?"

Tony shrugged, ignoring the doctor's frown. "I just wondered."

"Probably both," Rhodey said after a long minute.

And that was one of the biggest reasons that Tony loved Rhodey. He always indulged Tony's randomness.

"Poor turtle."

Before Rhodey could do anything other than chuckle, Captain America appeared in the doorway, scowling.

"Tony! I told you to come to the jet!"

"He required medical treatment," Rhodey interrupted, before Tony could reply. "Hence him being in _medical._ "

"What's wrong?" Steve asked, immediately concerned. "You didn't say you were injured while we were fighting."

"Because we were in the middle of a fight," Tony replied slowly. "And we were all a little bit _busy._ Besides, I'm only here under sufferance."

"You're supposed to tell us if you're injured, Tony!"

Tony rolled his eyes and turned to the doctor, who was finished wrapping his ribs.

"You can go," the doctor said, before Tony could ask. "But Colonel Rhodes is in charge of you, and you're to rest for at least the next seventy two hours."

Tony huffed. "Honeybear…"

"You heard the man," Rhodey said, standing and helping Tony up onto his feet. "Food, blankets, pillows and movies, kay."

Tony wrinkled his nose and then nodded. "Kay. But only if we can have Italian."

"Sure thing, sweetheart," Rhodey murmured, and ignoring Cap altogether, Rhodey led Tony from the room.

…

"Is this a private party, or can anyone join?" Clint asked, hopping over the back of the sofa. Nat walked around it, rolling her eyes as she sat down beside him.

Rhodey watched them for a moment before he shrugged lightly. "If either of you wake him, I'll gut you."

He nodded down to Tony, who was sleeping soundly in his lap, his head buried against Rhodey's chest.

"What's the deal with you two?" Clint asked quietly. "You're always around, you're so protective…"

"Tony is mine," Rhodey replied softly. "He's been mine since we were at MIT. He was a smart little shit that liked causing trouble, but so many people took advantage of him because of his name. I stepped in and then… kept stepping in."

"But are you… together?"

Rhodey frowned. They weren't, but it was complicated. Rhodey loved Tony, had loved him for years, and Tony loved Rhodey just as much. There were so many layers to their relationship, and while romance could one day be one of them, for the time being, they each had other things to concentrate on.

But… Rhodey had seen the way Clint looked at Tony sometimes, had noticed it even more from Steve, and he wanted to make it clear that Tony was off limits for them.

"Tony… is mine," he reiterated finally. "In every sense that matters."

Clint stared at him for a long moment before he nodded, not bothering to hide his slight disappointment. "I can see that. Fair enough."

Rhodey nodded and stroked a hand through Tony's hair, turning his attention back to the television.

…

"What did you wish for?"

Tony turned and smiled at Steve. "If you tell a wish, it won't come true."

Steve raised an eyebrow. "That right?"

"Apparently so."

It was Tony's twenty fifth birthday, and despite his protests, Pepper had arranged a party for him. For the most part, it was people he had to be nice too, because he did business with them, but there were a few of his friends in the mix and he'd had a mostly good night.

It would have been better if he hadn't been forced to fight for his life earlier in the day of course, but the villains loved to be an inconvenience.

"You proved yourself in the fight today," Steve said, clearly meaning it a compliment.

Tony's hackles raised immediately. "I don't need to prove myself to you."

"What? I didn't mean it like—"

"I'm never going to be good enough for you, am I?" Tony shook his head. "I can't do this right now."

"Tony, I—"

Tony shook his head and walked away. Rhodey caught sight of him across the room and raised his arm. Tony ducked under it immediately.

"Can we go?"

Rhodey looked down, concerned. "Who's ass do I need to kick?"

Tony huffed, amused. "Nobody's. I just… I want to go home and eat cake and watch movies."

"Kay."

…

"You want to know what I wished for?"

"If you tell me, it might not come true."

Tony rolled his eyes. "I'll take my chances."

Rhodey laughed. "Kay, Tones. Tell me what you wished for her."

"I wished… for you."

"Me? Seems like a wasted wish. You've had me for years."

"No. I mean like… I want…" Tony huffed and turned his head, pressing their lips together chastly.

Rhodey raised a hand and cupped his cheek, and as they pulled back, he smiled softly at the wonder in Tony's eyes.

"Still a wasted wish," he murmured, pressing another kiss to Tony's lips. "You've had me for years."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney - D1. "If you tell a wish, it won't come true."

Attic - 18. "If a turtle doesn't have a shell, is it homeless or naked?"

Arcade - Cammy - Protective / Narrowing Eyes / "Target acquired."

Basement - Carol Danvers - "I don't need to prove myself to you."

365 - 102. Trouble

1000 - 855. Teammates


	32. Team Fic

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing/Characters -** Team fic, in a world where everyone is happy and nothing hurts.

 **Word Count -** 863

* * *

 **As Fierce As A Kitten**

* * *

There were many ways to describe Tony. He knew that, and for as many people that would say he was hardworking, double the amount would say he was an asshole. For as many people who'd say he was attractive, double the amount would say he was arrogant.

Never though, was he described as _cute._ You know, except when he was.

…

"Tony… have you slept at all this week?"

"Of course I have!" Tony replied, blinking rapidly. He hadn't, but Rhodey shouted at him when he didn't eat or sleep properly.

"You'd never make a good villain. You're a shit liar, Tones."

Tony scowled. "With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius! How dare."

"You're cute. Now go to bed."

…

Tony flopped back onto the grass. "I can't cope with these second rate baddies anymore. They're giving me a complex."

Clint snorted, kicking his boots off and sitting down beside Tony. "They do seem a bit… meh, don't they?"

"They don't even make good speeches anymore. Why can't the bad guys be original?"

"Why is Tony almost crying in the middle of central park?" Steve asked, approaching them with Nat and Sam. He put his shield down on the floor and crouched down to check on Tony, who'd flung his arm over his face dramatically.

"The bad guys are so shit, they're giving him a complex," Clint replied sagely. "He wants some originality."

"Aww, are they hurting your feelings, Stark?" Sam asked, laughing. "C'mon, get up. I want ice-cream."

Tony moved his arm and pouted. Sam blinked.

"That… should not be as cute as it is."

…

Steve and Bucky stood in the corner of the room, chatting quietly as they kept an eye on their team members, scattered around.

"Nope. A whole world of nope," Steve heard, and he turned to see Tony making a beeline towards them.

When he reached them, Tony moved so he was standing directly behind Steve, his forehead pressed against Steve's back.

"Erm. Tony? What are you doing?"

"Hiding."

"From…"

"Justin Hammer. He's trying to infect me with his stupid, Cap, you gotta protect me."

Steve and Bucky chuckled, but when Steve turned his head, sure enough, Justin Hammer was walking towards them.

"Uh oh," he muttered, nodding at Bucky. "He's on his way over. Apparently you standing behind me isn't hiding you well enough, Shellhead."

"If I can't see him, he can't see me," Tony muttered sullenly. "Them's the rules."

Bucky snorted. "You're cute. Come on, Doll, let's dance. If he bothers us on the dancefloor, I'll punch him for you."

Tony grinned and immediately took the offered hand. "You're my new favourite, Snowflake."

…

"It's so… bright," Tony whimpered, burying his face against Nat's shoulder. "Make the sun stop shining, Tash."

"Maybe if you didn't drink so much last night, you wouldn't be so hungover this morning," she replied, but she belied her words by raising her arm to stroke a gentle hand through his hair.

"Clint's fault," Tony grumbled, nuzzling closer. "He made me do it."

"You're cute," Natasha snorted. "You'd never do anything you didn't want to. I know you, Tony."

Before Tony could reply, Steve entered the kitchen. "What's wrong?" he asked uncertainly, looking at Natasha and Tony with a raised eyebrow.

"Hangover," Nat replied, before Tony could say anything.

"Ah. Yeah, Clint is lying on the floor in the living room, groaning to himself."

"Of course he is."

…

"Bruce," Tony whimpered, tripping into the communal common area. Bruce looked up from his tablet and frowned. "I don't feel so good."

"Come sit here," Bruce muttered, patting the sofa beside himself. Tony collapsed down beside him, and tugged his yellow blanket tighter around himself. Bruce checked his head and winced at how hot Tony was to the touch.

He asked JARVIS for Tony's stats and shook his head when he received them.

"How long have you been feeling like this?" he asked.

"Um. Three days?"

"You're an idiot. Stay there."

Bruce left and returned a few minutes later with a large bottle of water, some medicine, and some dry crackers.

When Steve arrived in the living room a few hours later, it was to find Tony curled up beside Bruce, both of them asleep. It was surprising in a way, because Bruce wasn't one for casual touching, but then, Tony was the exception to a lot of rules for all of them.

"JARVIS," he murmured softly, so as not to disturb them. "Can you get a picture of the two of them and send it to the team? They're cute."

…

"I hope you know that you look about as fierce as a kitten when you glare at me like that," Rhodey said, cuffing Tony's cheek.

"I'm not cute," Tony complained. "Why do people keep calling me cute?"

"Cause you're cute," Rhodey replied flatly.

"No. No I am not. That's not how that works! I'm an asshole, and narcissistic and arrogant and cruel and sarcastic and abrupt and—"

"And those are all words that people who don't know you would use. Your friends, your team, we all see Tony instead of _Tony Stark._ And Tones? _Tony_ is adorable."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney - C5. Write about someone cute

Attic - 17. "With the proper training, I could've been an evil genius."

Arcade - Chun-Li - Kicking / Fierce / Boots

Basement - Peter Parker - "[Name], I don't feel so good."

Seasonal

Spring - Bright

Colour - Yellow

Birthstone - Diamond - "It's so… bright."

Flower - Lilac - Lying to stay out of trouble

Element - Grass

Hufflepuff - Hardworking

Star Chart - Conjunction of the moon and saturn - Exception

365 - 64. Attractive

1000 - 239. "Nope. A whole world of nope."


	33. Clint Centric

**Disclaimer** \- I own nothing you recognise.

 **Characters** \- Clint centric, but definitely Team Iron Man, so if that's not your thing, probably don't read this.

 **Word Count** \- 3014

* * *

 **Consequences**

* * *

Clint was angry. He'd been angry for… a really long time. His life had come crashing down around him, and he'd taken pleasure in laying the blame at Tony's feet, because if he did that, he didn't have to own that he'd done it to himself.

It had taken finally being brought home to show just how much Tony wasn't to blame for the mess that was Clint's life.

He sat in the common room of the Compound with Natasha, Steve, Sam and Bucky, feeling uncomfortably like he didn't belong there. His mind wasn't in the conversation happening around him, though.

Instead, it was still with Laura, with Cooper, Lila and Nate, who'd left half an hour earlier. Seeing them again had been a dream come true, but also Clint's worst nightmare brought to life.

Nate didn't know him. Lila clung to Laura, watching him with a longing look but unable to bring herself to go to him. Cooper glared at the wall behind him, not even wanting to meet his eyes.

And the worst of it was that Clint understood. He'd left them, abandoned them, for nineteen long months. Not only that, he'd left them defenceless against Ross and his minions. The farm was gone, destroyed, and only because of Tony did his family still have their lives.

Clint had considered being angry with Tony for interfering, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. Laura's words had made it impossible for him to lay any of the blame for what happened on Tony, and… at this point, Clint was done deluding himself.

Tony hadn't been at fault. Wanting accountability wasn't a bad thing, and Clint had actually read the Accords during their sojourn in Wakanda. They weren't bad. Certainly weren't perfect, but even now, changes and amendments were still going through. All in all though, Clint understood why Tony signed them.

"Are you okay?"

Clint blinked and turned to look at Sam. He shrugged. He wasn't okay, but he also… he felt freer than he had in months. Forgoing the anger and denial he'd been clinging too left him with a lot of guilt, and a lot of problems that he needed to fix, but he felt better for it.

The doors opened and the newer members of the Avengers streamed through into the common room, laughing loudly at something.

Clint almost couldn't stop his lips tilting up when he caught sight of Tony, close to the back of the group, tears streaming down his face as he failed to get a handle on his laughter. Stephen Strange, the Sorcerer Supreme, was practically holding the genius up.

"What's funny?" Nat asked, head tilted curiously.

"A good motto to live by," Tony choked out, stopping to laugh again. "Always try not to get killed!"

And then he set off again into peals of laughter. Carol, Captain Marvel on the field, was blushing brightly, clearly the one to have said it in the first place, and Rhodes was watching Tony laugh with a fond expression on his face.

Clint snorted, and shook his head. Nat's lips were tilted in a smile, and Sam and Bucky let out low chuckled.

Tony eventually got himself under control and straightened up, wiping at his face with a handkerchief offered to him by Strange.

"That, was beaut," he said, grinning at Carol. "And if you ever say that to a villain again, I might actually have a heart attack."

Rhodey and Strange both set off laughing then, and the flush on Carol's cheeks deepened even more.

"You said that to a villain?" Sam asked, eyes wide.

"Doom," Tony confirmed. "He was being a pest again, and the fuck up four were, of course, nowhere to be found to deal with him."

" _Fantastic_ Four," Carol corrected, rolling her eyes. "Be a goddamn professional, would ya?"

"How dare you swear at me like that," Tony gasped, raising a hand to his chest, mocking her as he exaggerated a wounded expression.

The four of them continued through into the kitchen, bantering back and forth between them. Clint watched them go with a heavy ache in his heart. That used to be them. Him, and Nat and Steve and Tony and Bruce and Thor. The original Avengers.

Except…

Except, that was never them. They'd never been that comfortable with each other, had never settled into such easy conversation or laughed and joked with each other like that. Clint had never heard Tony laugh that way before, so free and joyful.

"He still won't look at me," Steve whispered, rubbing a hand over his face.

Beside him, Clint felt rather than heard Natasha sigh.

"There isn't a magic fix-all elixir for this, Steve. Just… give him time. He's not running from every room we're in now, that's progress."

"I just wish… I wish we could just put it behind us and move on. We've been back for over a month and nothing… nothing is the same."

Well, Clint couldn't disagree with that. Broken dynamics between them and Tony aside, a lot had changed in the structure of the Avengers since the 'Civil-War'.

There were different code levels for attacks, different team set ups and a new debriefing protocol that they'd never had before. There were more people than ever, and more people being added as and when they decided to step up.

The Accords Council made them all have evaluations, both of their powers and skills, and also psych-evals, to make sure they were mission ready. There were set team bonding sessions, and team training and individual training sessions. There were new protocols and clearance levels for different missions and also for a few sites on the Compound grounds.

Steve had grumbled and griped at the new structure, but for Nat and Clint, it had been easier to settle back in, the rules something that had been missing for them both after spending so long at S.H.I.E.L.D.

Sam and Bucky had also settled into the routines of the Compound easily enough, both of them drawing from their Military days. Steve was the only one that found it rough. Clint thought it was because never before had he had to deal with accountability.

Never before had he had to deal with the consequences of breaking rules, or being called out on a mistake.

Clint supposed Wanda would have had the same problems, had she even made it past the very first evaluation. It hadn't really been a surprise when the Accords Council had unanimously decided that she wasn't ready to be an Avenger.

Instead of joining them at the Compound, an agreement had been made that Wanda would spend some time at the mutant school. Steve had argued it, but not very hard. Even he had to admit that Wanda was a loose canon with a very short fuse.

Clint closed his eyes and moments later, he felt the comforting weight of Nat's head on his shoulder. They had training in an hour, so he wouldn't be able to get much sleep, but just the thought of a nap had Clint sinking deeper into the soft sofa.

…

Clint noticed the scowl on Tony's face as he entered the debriefing room, and when Rhodes followed him in, it was with a face like thunder.

Clint winced when that thunder was aimed at Steve, though he couldn't even blame Rhodey for being angry on Tony's behalf.

Steve had undermined Tony at every opportunity during the mission, and only Carol threatening to bench him had brought him back into line. Clint wasn't even sure why Steve had been deliberately antagonising Tony, given his desire to 'make up' with the genius.

Clint took a seat, tugging at a rip in his sleeve. He wanted no part of what was sure to be a disaster of a debriefing, but he had no choice. He knew that Steve would expect those that had been with him in Wakanda to stick up for him, but Clint didn't think he could.

Sam was also particularly quiet, looking everywhere but at Steve.

Carol led the debriefing, going through each step of the mission and asking for suggestions of things to speed certain things up or making things better for the next one. That went smoothly enough, with only Tony and surprisingly Bucky having a comment a piece.

Then Carol looked up and met Steve's eyes and Clint swallowed reflexly.

"Team dynamics are important, both on and off the field, but certainly on the field. I know that there are still… unresolved tensions between some of us, and I can handle that. What I can't handle, is when one member resolutely focuses on another with the intention to aggravate them. Would you like to explain your actions, Mr Rogers?"

Steve clenched his fists before releasing them, sighing deeply. "I just don't think that we should let one member, no matter who it is, make unilateral decisions that have such an effect on a mission when that member is known to… act rashly."

Clint winced again. Natasha groaned quietly. Sam blinked, and even Bucky shook his head, running a hand through his hair.

"As it is, you're not in the position to make such decisions," Carol said flatly, though her eyes were fire. "You're not the Team Leader, and unlike some, Tony has proven that he's reliable both on and off the field, particularly when the subject is technology. You should know that given both your behaviour and attitude, I'd be well within my rights to bench you after your performance."

Steve opened his mouth to protest, but Bucky kicked him under the table.

"That said," Carol continued. "I'm not going to. _This time._ It's time you got used to the way the team works now, Mr Rogers, and the consequences of things going wrong. The Avengers is no longer a group of ragtag enhanced people turning up to a fight unannounced and causing untold amounts of destruction. If you don't think you can do that, it's time to find yourself a new place in the world."

Carol closed the debriefing, and Tony stalked from the room with Rhodes at his back. Clint fiddled with the ripped sleeve of his shirt and looked at Natasha. She nodded at the door, and he left with her, not bothering to look back.

…

"Steve is… problematic," Nat murmured. The two of them were in a coffee shop, in the corner with their backs to the wall. "He can't seem to settle into the new way of running the Avengers, and he's only going to wait so long before he pushes Tony too hard."

"The question is what Tony will do then," Clint replied, looking around the shop.

Natasha shook her head. "I don't think it is. Tony purposefully hasn't put himself in a position to make or pass judgement. I think the real question, is what Carol or Rhodes will do. As team leaders, it will be on them to bench or kick Steve from the team and honestly… they're waiting for an excuse."

"Do you blame them?" Clint asked, turning to look at her. "Look at everything Steve did, particularly to Tony, and then ask yourself if you could blame them. Honestly, I don't think I could."

Nat stared at him for a long moment. "You know what happened in Siberia, don't you?"

Clint nodded. "Laura told me. I don't know all the details, but I know about the video, and I know Tony was in bad shape when he finally got home. I know Steve didn't tell Tony about his parents being murdered."

Nat sighed. "No, he didn't. He swore to me he would but… I think deep down I knew he wouldn't."

"Why didn't you tell him? Why didn't any of you ask him for help? I don't… everything that happened, it all could have been solved with a little bit of honest conversation between people who were supposed to be a team. I don't… I don't understand the need for all the secrets, and when that comes from the mouth of a spy, you know there's a problem."

"None of this, none of any of it, was about the accords," Nat confirmed quietly. "At least not for Steve. Everything he did, all the hurt, all the lies, all the damage, all the death; all of it was to 'save' Barnes."

"And Bucky didn't ask to be saved, did he?"

"Bucky was, still is I think, fuming with Steve for everything that went down."

Clint shook his head. "Maybe… maybe Barnes could help? I think if anyone is going to make Steve see reason, it'll be him. At the rate he's going, Steve's going to be out on his own with noone to blame but himself, and… I won't be there to back him up. Not this time, Nat."

…

"Barton?"

Clint turned around, eyebrow raising when he saw the state of Tony. His t-shirt was ripped, he was covered in grease and oil, and he looked exhausted.

"I didn't expect anyone to be up," Clint said quietly.

"No, neither did I," Tony agreed, crossing to the kitchen counter that held the hot drink machine. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before he sighed and pressed the button for tea instead of coffee.

"Tea?"

"Sour Patch gets salty as all hell if I drink coffee this late at night," Tony muttered sullenly, looking more like a reprimanded teenager than a grown adult.

Clint chuckled softly, before he sobered. "Tony… I, I'm sorry."

Tony blinked. "For what?"

"What I said, on the raft. That was… a dick move, and I regret it almost more than anything else I've done or said. I was so angry at you for so long but… I realised not too long ago that I was only angry at you so I didn't have to be angry at myself. I'm sorry."

Tony nodded thoughtfully. "What do you regret the most?" he asked, head tilting to the side as he picked up the mug of tea.

"Leaving my wife and children."

Tony's lips tilted up slightly. "Good answer. I've always known you were a dick, Clint. But… I've also always known that you were a good man. Even good men can and do make mistakes."

Clint swallowed hard and nodded.

Tony moved to leave but paused at the door. "I won't promise you that you'll even completely get your family back, but your children love you. It might take a while, but they'll forgive you. You're their dad, and… they'll forgive you."

…

Oddly enough, Tony's words proved true. As time passed, and Clint made the effort to see his children at least once a week, they slowly thawed. Smiles and chatter turned into hugs and eventually, to his children being _his children_ again.

Clint flopped down on the sofa, knackered after a full day of chasing them around the park. He debated on just going to bed, but before he could force himself to his feet, Barnes sat down across from him.

"Have you heard?"

Clint frowned. "Heard what?"

"Steve… he's been dropped from the Avengers and is being charged with assault in the first and entrapment."

Sitting up, Clint gestured for Bucky to continue.

"He… well. He got sick of waiting for Tony to go to him. I tried to talk him out of it but… have you ever tried out-stubborning Steve Rogers? It's _impossible._ Unless you're Tony Stark apparently. Anyway, so far as I can tell, Steve blocked Tony in one of the conference rooms and shoved him back when he tried to leave. Obviously, FRIDAY has it all on video, and Carol arrived before the situation could escalate."

Clint groaned and rubbed a hand over his face. "He's a bloody idiot."

"Even if he doesn't go to prison, which is unlikely given the conditional pardon he's already on… he's not welcome in the Compound anymore. I don't…" Bucky paused, looking down, his hands fidgeting in his lap.

"You know Tony, Carol or Rhodes won't kick you out cause Steve is gone, right?" Clint asked.

Bucky looked up to meet Clint's eyes. "You think?"

"I know. You've been doing everything asked of you, and… well, I saw Tony speaking to you just a few days ago. He seemed to not be being… assholish?"

"He was talking about making a custom gauntlet for my flesh arm," Bucky admitted.

"Even though he isn't responsible for the Avengers equipment anymore, he still gets giddy at the idea of a new project to play with," Rhodes said, from the doorway. Only Clint's training stopped him from visibly jumping, and he was pretty sure the same could be said for Bucky. "And Barton is right, Barnes. Nobody blames you for what Rogers did. In fact, from What FRIDAY told us, you tried to talk him out of it rather… vehemently."

Bucky nodded. "He should'a just left Tony alone. I told him that all the time. When he gets an idea in his head, not much can stop him, you know? When I look at the Steve now, and think of _my Steve,_ I don't know what happened. He's not the same."

Rhodes nodded slowly. "Well. He's about to learn that every action has a consequence. The UN aren't going to look kindly on him."

"It is what it is," Clint said softly, looking at Bucky. "There's only so many times you can make excuses for someone or stand by their side."

Bucky nodded. He looked sad but also resigned. Clint understood that entirely.

…

"Yo, Legolas!"

Clint blinked and then turned around to see Tony sitting on the sofa, holding out a game controller. When Clint didn't make a move to take it, Tony waved it impatiently.

"Come on, these impatient fuckers won't wait for you!"

On the sofas, Tony, Rhodes, Carol, Bucky and Nat were all holding controllers too. Strange was sitting in an armchair, watching them with an amused look on his face.

It was almost… no. Not almost.

It was finally like coming home.

* * *

Written for;

Disney - C6. Jaq - Being angry on behalf of someone else.

Attic - 12. "A good motto to live by; always try not to get killed."

Arcade - Ryu - Rough / Ripped clothes / Clenched fists

Basement - Tony Stark - Guilt

365 - 59. Reliable

1000 - 16. Elixir


	34. TonyClint 5

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing -** TonyClint (established relationship)

 **Word Count -** 1219

* * *

 **I'll Come For You**

* * *

"Clint's missed two check ins."

The team immediately turned their attention to Natasha. Tony stiffened in his seat, Steve's shoulders tensed, Bruce's eyes widened with worry and Thor leant forward, always eager for battle.

"Where was his last known location and when?" Steve asked.

"Phil is hunting the details down for me, he'll send them through as soon as he has them. It's been asked that we don't step in yet but—"

"Screw that," Tony muttered. "J, trace Katniss, last known location, and see if you can get a current location from the bow."

"You've put… a tracker in Clint's bow?" Bruce asked, head tilting curiously.

"Of course I have," Tony replied, as though it was obvious. Which, it really should have been. "You all have trackers in your suits, too."

"Of course we do," Bruce replied, shaking his head.

"Sir, I have a location," JARVIS announced. A holographic map appeared on the kitchen table, a beacon in red in the middle of it. "Mr Barton was last here three hours ago, Sir. The signal has since been lost."

"Any ideas?" Bruce asked, eyeing the map critically.

"I have lots of ideas. Trouble is, most of them suck," Tony admitted.

He was trying his hardest not to panic, but it was creeping up on him, affecting his ability to think. He couldn't lose Clint, he _couldn't._

"Okay, here's what we're going to do," Steve said, resting a comforting hand on Tony's shoulder. The pressure was gentle but firm, grounding Tony. Tony listened to Steve's plan, glad that Cap was being his usual dependable self, and had stepped up to take control of the situation.

There was no way could Tony be objective when it was _Clint._

All Tony could do was hope that they'd be in time to save Clint before anything irreparably was done to him. One thing he did know, was that he'd burn whoever had done this into the _ground._

…

The quinjet landed silently, and Steve looked around at the team.

"Primary objective, find Clint. We want a clean extraction. Let's do this."

Steve stuck close to Tony as they entered the large warehouse. Tony couldn't begrudge him the lack of trust, because Tony would be the same if it was Bucky that had been captured.

A bang and an 'oof' made Tony turn, just in time to see Steve punch a man dressed all in black. The man dropped to the floor, out cold.

Tony continued on his way, blasting through walls when he got too impatient to look for doors.

They met trouble a few rooms in, and Tony quickly realised that they'd walked into a trap set for them. He hoped the others were okay, as he sent unforgiving blasts from his hands at the bastards who thought they could go against the Avengers.

Steve fought at his back, and between the two of them, there was quickly a pile of unmoving bodies strewn across the floor.

Finally, _finally,_ Tony blasted into a small, windowless room and found Clint tied up against the wall.

"Tony," he mumbled, relief evident as he slumped. Tony moved quickly, untying Clint as fast as the suit fingers would allow.

"You know, just because you're a Disney princess, it doesn't give you the right to be kidnapped, Merida," Tony chastised, wrapping his arm firmly around Clint's waist.

Clint smiled slightly and then he flopped in Tony's arms, a sudden dead weight. The relief Tony had been feeling left, and he shook Clint gently.

"Don't do this to me, Clint," he begged, as Steve entered the room.

"He's okay," Steve promised him, checking Clint quickly. "He's breathing, Tony, he's just passed out. Come on, let's get out of here and get him into medical."

Steve moved his arms as though to take Clint from Tony, but Tony adjusted his boyfriend slightly in his arms and turned, nodding for Steve to lead the way.

…

Tony looked up, a low groan escaping him as his neck protested the movement. He'd been sitting in the hospital chair for entirely too long.

"Why are you so tall?" he complained, glaring at Steve.

Steve snorted. "You should go home, Tones. Get some rest. I'll stay here with him."

Tony shook his head. "He… I need to be here when he wakes up. He always stresses out if I'm not here when he wakes up, you know that."

Steve couldn't even argue because it was true. Whenever Clint was in hospital, he always jumped to the worst conclusions if Tony wasn't at his bedside when he woke up. Between the two of them, Steve wasn't sure who was the more protective of the other.

"It's been twelve hours," Tony said then, his brow furrowing slightly. "I thought he'd be awake by now."

Steve sighed and crouched, so he was directly in front of Tony. Tony met his eyes, the cerulean blue calming him slightly as Steve cupped his cheek.

"He's going to be _fine,_ " he said firmly. "The doctors have said as much. He's still sleeping because they're pumping him full of the good stuff and he was probably awake for a long time before we got there, okay?"

Tony nodded. "I just…"

"I get it. Have you been looked at? You've got some pretty colourful bruises blossoming."

"M'fine," Tony replied tiredly. "Promise."

Steve nodded, and then stood, rounding the bed to sit in the other chair. "Try and get some sleep, Tony. I'll watch over you both."

…

A few hours later, Natasha joined them, leaning against the doorframe. Usually, she'd be right there with Tony from the minute Clint was brought in, but this time, she'd gone straight to SHIELD.

"Did we get the 'mastermind' behind this shitshow?" Tony asked, eyes still on Clint, prone in the bed.

"We did. He's being dealt with," Natasha asked.

Something in her tone made Tony's lips tilt up slightly and he nodded. "Good."

"Any sign of him waking up?" she asked.

Tony sighed. "Not yet. Should be soon though, I think. He's started moving a little."

Nat leant over the bed and pressed a kiss to Clint's cheek, a perfect lavender coloured lipstick print left when she pulled back.

"Tell him I'll be back later, once we've got some answers."

Tony nodded, and she kissed his cheek too, on her way out.

…

"Tony?"

Tony jerked awake, his head lifting from where he'd been resting on the end of Clint's bed.

"Hmm?" he looked up, eyes widening when he saw Clint was awake and alert. "You're awake!"

"Uh huh. You okay, baby?" Clint asked, reaching his hand out for Tony.

"I'm fine," Tony said, rolling his eyes. "You're the one that got captured. Are _you_ okay?"

Clint nodded. "Fine. Tired though. Come up here, you're too far away."

"You're injured—"

"I want a cuddle," Clint interrupted. "Fuck the bruises, come _here._ "

Tony sighed but crawled onto the bed, setting himself carefully along the edge of it. Clint immediately lay against him, a solid weight on Tony's chest as strong arms wrapped around his waist.

"Hmm, this is the kind of quality care I'm talking about," Clint murmured happily, nuzzling his face against Tony's neck. "I knew you'd come for me, babe."

Tony held him just a little bit tighter. "I'll always come for you."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney - C2. Searching for someone

Attic - 13. "I have lots of ideas. Trouble is, most of them suck."

Arcade - Ibuki - Cerulean Blue / Relieved / "Let's do this."

Basement - Natasha - "Don't do this to me, Name."

Book Club - Butler - Protective / Tall / Punch

Liza Lodes - 5. Someone protective of another person

365 - 67. Quality

1000 - 13. Mastermind

Seasonal

Days of the year - 30th March, I Am In Control Day - Someone taking control of a situation.

Spring - Blossoming

Colour - Lavender

Flower - Iris - Hope

Element - Solid

Hufflepuff - Dependable

Star Chart - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation - Lipstick


	35. TonySteve 8

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom**

 **Pairing -** TonySteve

 **Word Count** \- 2198

* * *

 **Misplaced Fear**

* * *

"That's an… interesting choice," Tony said, eyeing Steve's beard curiously. He blinked and then turned away, murmuring something quiet to Colonel Rhodes.

Rhodes nodded, his face solemn and slightly strained. Tony squeezed his arm and turned away, leaving the room without another glance at Steve.

Steve didn't know what he'd been expecting, but it certainly wasn't that. A throwaway comment about his beard and then...nothing. After everything that had happened, after fighting the biggest battle of any of their lives, Steve had expected their reunion to be… more.

More what, he had no idea, but just… more.

"Go after him," Bucky hissed, prodding at Steve's side, his metal fingers pressing hard enough to make Steve jolt.

Steve looked around the room and his heart hurt as he saw the clear split between two teams that were always meant to be one. He'd done this, he'd caused this split and it was up to him to make it right again.

"He's heading to the park," Rhodey murmured. "He wants to be alone but… what Tony wants isn't always what he needs. Fair warning, Rogers. Hurt him, and I'll end you where you stand. Understood?"

Steve nodded, eyes wide. "Understood. And... thank you."

Of anyone, Rhodes was the last person Steve would have expected to give them a chance. He was so protective of Tony, Steve was even slightly surprised that the War Machine pilot hadn't just hit him on sight.

"Don't make me regret it," Rhodes said flatly, before he turned away to speak with Stephen Strange, the sorcerer that had been with Tony on Titan.

Steve still hadn't gotten the whole story of what had happened on Titan, but he knew that it had been a plan between Stephen and Tony that had ended the battle in the end, and Steve was interested in getting to know the mysterious man.

"Go, idiot," Bucky said, nudging him again.

…

Steve approached Tony slowly. He knew the other man knew he was there, but Tony didn't bother looking up. He didn't even twitch when Steve sat beside him on the bench.

"I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete," he said, after a long moment, pointing to the pathway. "It's so fucking heroic."

"Fighting against all the odds," Steve agreed quietly. "Tony, I'm sorry."

Tony nodded. "I got your letter."

Steve sighed. "That letter was crap and we both know it. It was selfish, another way to try and make myself feel like less shit about what I'd done."

"It doesn't matter now," Tony shrugged. "It's over and done with and we've all faced worse since then. It's time to just… move on."

The way Tony said it send a frisson of fear down Steve's spine. He didn't want to move on, he wanted to make things right.

"Tony—"

"I don't want to rehash everything that happened," Tony snapped, standing up. He took his sunglasses off and rubbed at his face. "I don't want to think about it anymore, because it still hurts Steve. I just… I don't want to hurt anymore."

Steve stood up and reach a hand out towards Tony, taking a step forwards. Tony stumbled back, and the absence of his sunglasses showed Steve what he'd been missing and it brought him to an abrupt stop.

"You… you're scared of me," he gasped. "You - I - Tony, _no_."

"Steve," Tony sighed, but Steve couldn't unsee the unmitigated fear on Tony's face and he turned and walked away. He didn't want to hear platitudes or lies about how Tony wasn't scared. He'd seen it with his own eyes.

Tony didn't follow him and he didn't call him back. Steve wondered if maybe he should let go as well. Holding on was more painful than he could handle.

…

He avoided Tony for almost a week. It wasn't difficult, the genius wasn't around very often despite them all living in Stark Tower once more. The Compound was being fixed up, but in the meantime, Tony had offered to house them.

Steve almost regretted accepting the offer.

Six days after their talk in the park, Steve found himself sitting in the kitchen at a little after three in the morning, his hands wrapped around a cup of tea. He'd been having trouble sleeping all week, but that night the insomnia was particularly bad.

Lost in thought, he didn't have chance to leave before Tony stumbled into the kitchen, making a beeline for the coffee machine. Only when he had a steaming mug in his hands did he turn and see Steve sitting at the breakfast bar.

His eyes widened. "Sorry. I, uh, didn't see you there."

Smirking, Steve shook his head. "I see some things don't change. You don't think sleep would have been a better idea than more coffee?"

"Eh," Tony shrugged. "I'll sleep when I'm dead."

"Stubborn sod," Steve muttered. "One day, you'll learn to look after yourself."

"My Platypus has been praying for that day to come for almost thirty years. He's still disappointed."

"Well, I'm sure he'll keep praying."

Tony nodded then sighed. "About the other day—"

"Please don't," Steve asked, looking away. "I can't—"

"Steve," Tony said, soft but firm. "I'm not… afraid of you, not for the reasons that you think. I don't think you're going to hurt me, okay?"

Steve frowned. "What do you mean, not for the reasons I think? Does that mean you are afraid of me? I don't… Tony I just want to make things better. Tell me what I can do."

"This… isn't on you to fix. You know that I like to break the rules, and… I broke a rule I shouldn't have broken, that's all. It's for me to deal with."

Tony put his empty mug in the sink and left the kitchen. Steve hesitated for a moment before he followed, surprised to find Tony had only gotten as far as the living room. He was lying face down on the sofa, his face smushed into a pillow.

"Tony—"

"It's nap time, leave me alone," Tony whined, waving a hand at Steve absently.

Shaking his head, Steve turned away, only to grab a red blanket from the back of the nearest chair. He tossed it over Tony, carefully pulling it down so it wasn't covering his face.

"Sleep well, Tony."

…

"I never knew you liked the park so much."

"Are you stalking me?" Tony asked, looking up at Steve as he approached. He was wearing a coral shirt that played off his skin beautifully, and his eyes were sparkling happily.

"Coincidence," Steve assured him. "I didn't go running this morning, and you just happen to be sitting right in the middle of the course I take in the afternoons."

Tony quirked an eyebrow but nodded. "I like summer," he said. "I like the smells in the air, the flowers, the soil, the sunshine. Summer smells great in the park."

"Huh," Steve replied. "I never really thought of that."

Tony smiled slightly.

"Well… I should…" Steve gestured to the path, and Tony nodded. "Later, Cap."

Steve ran on, but when he chanced a look back, Tony was watching him with a strange look in his eyes. It made Steve's hard pound harder than a run ever had before.

…

"I could literally knock you down with a feather," Rhodes said, shaking his head.

Steve looked up to see Tony stumbling towards the table. He looked _exhausted,_ and just the sight of a sleepy Tony was enough to tug at Steve's heartstrings. He was _adorable._

"Can't sleep," Tony muttered, falling into Rhodes' outstretched arms. "Tried, Honeybear. Can't."

Rhodes wrapped his arms around Tony, tugging him onto his lap. He rocked them gently, stroking his hand up and down Tony's back.

"Come on, let's go watch a movie and cuddle," he murmured. He pushed Tony up onto his feet, and moved to stand himself, but Tony's legs gave way beneath him.

Steve moved before he'd even thought about it, catching Tony before he could hit the floor. Rhodes met his gaze with a thankful look. Even though he was back on his feet, the braces securing his legs meant he couldn't move as fast as he needed sometimes.

"Can you get him to the couch?" Rhodes requested, leading the way.

Steve leant down and picked Tony up in a bridal carry. Tony yelped, but then immediately turned his face into Steve's chest, nuzzling against the cotton material of his t'shirt. He sighed contentedly, and suddenly, he weighed much more as he fell asleep in Steve's arms.

Steve looked down at him, unsure as to how or why it had happened. Shaking his head, he followed after Rhodes, and waited for the man to sit down.

"He's asleep," Steve said, when Rhodes patted his thigh for Steve to put Tony down on the sofa.

Rhodey frowned. "Really?"

"Uh huh."

"Huh. That's… unexpected. I'd say put him to bed, but as soon as he gets left alone, he'll be awake again anyway. Put him here."

Steve bent to put Tony down, but Tony whined, his hand twisting in the neck of Steve's t'shirt, holding on tight even though Steve was pretty sure he hadn't woken up.

Rhodes' eyes widened and then he smirked up at Steve. "Looks like you're gonna be a pillow for a while, pal."

Steve looked back at Tony and his lips tilted up involuntarily. He sat down in one of the armchairs, Tony cradled against his chest. Tony sighed and nuzzled closer, his eyelids fluttering a little.

Steve could feel his own lack of sleep weighing on him, and he leant his head back against the chair. Despite many nights he'd spent laid out on his comfortable bed, staring at the ceiling with no sleep in sight, he knew without a doubt that here, with Tony grounding him, he'd be able to sleep.

So he did.

…

Steve woke slowly. Tony was shuffling on his knee, waking up himself. A glance at the clock told Steve that they'd been sleeping for close to nine hours. He was more than grateful for the serum, since he knew the crick in his neck would be gone in minutes instead of aching for days.

"Uh, Steve?"

"Hmm?"

"Why am I sitting on your lap?"

"You fell asleep when I stopped you from face-planting and then, well, you wouldn't let me put you down so… here we are."

Tony rubbed at his eyes. "Huh. That's… different. Sorry."

"I haven't slept this well in years," Steve admitted. "Don't worry about it."

Tony nodded, looking a little unsure. "I should, uh, go."

Steve tightened his arm slightly on Tony's waist. "I'm going to make pancakes in a few. You love my pancakes. Stick around and eat with me before you run off to your workshop?"

"I, uh, okay? I'm a growing boy, I suppose."

Steve snorted.

…

The first mission post Thanos, when the whole team were together, went surprisingly well. Of course, Tony managed to put himself in danger, but they'd gotten the job done relatively unscathed.

That night, Steve wasn't surprised when he found Tony standing out on the landing pad, looking up at the stars. Back before everything had gone to shit, this had been a tradition of their post battle. It made Steve's heart pang, to see Tony still doing it. Had he done this even when Steve wasn't here to stand with him?

"You scare me because you make me feel so much," Tony whispered, as Steve stepped up beside him. "You scare me because no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't hate you. You scare me, because no matter what happens, no matter what you do… I'll always let you come back, Steve. You scare me because you could destroy me without even trying."

"Tony?"

"I love you. Wholly and completely and irrevocably. That's why you scare me."

Steve hesitated for a split second before he wrapped his arm around Tony and tugged him closer, so they were standing face to face. "I love you too. So much, Tony."

Tony frowned. "What? No. That's… not how that works. You don't… you don't need to lie to me to make me feel better, Steve. You don't—"

"I've loved you since you flew a nuke into space and almost didn't come back to me," Steve replied quietly. "I didn't understand at first. Didn't realise why you could get under my skin so fast, how you could test my patience so easily when normally, I'm a pretty patient guy, how you could make me go from angry to amused to worried to sad to happy all in the space of a few minutes. Tony, how could I _not_ be in love with you?"

"Steve…" Tony's usual confidence was missing from his eyes, and instead he seemed to be feeling a mixture of awe and fear. "Steve, you have to mean it. I can't… I can't go through all of this again, I _can't_."

"I'm never letting you go," Steve promised. He tugged Tony closer, and cupped his cheek gently. "Not ever. I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney - C7. Someone unexpected lending a hand

Attic - 6. "I like it when a flower or a little tuft of grass grows through a crack in the concrete. It's so fuckin' heroic."

Arcade - Guile - Smirking / Sunglasses / Confidence

Basement - Bruce - Fear

Book Club - Holly Short - Stubborn / Red / Break the rules

Liza Lodes - 4. "I love you."

365 - 56. Feather

1000 - 33. Heartstrings

Seasonal

Days of the Year - Smoke and Mirrors day - Something that isn't as it seems

Spring - Growing

Colour - Coral

Birthstone - Cat's Eye Agate - "It's nap time. Leave me alone."

Flower - Peony - Theme; Reunion

Element - Soil

Hufflepuff - Patient

Star Chart - Conjunction of the moon and Jupiter - "I'm never letting you go."


	36. TonySteve 9

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing -** Pre-SteveTony

 **Word Count -** 1895

* * *

 **Not Quite Done Yet**

* * *

 _He lay across Steve's lap, dozing as Steve ran a large hand through his hair, occasionally tugging playfully at the longer strands. Steve was so warm, and his warmth was making Tony warm and comfortable, and it would be so easy to just fall asleep—_

"Up, Stark!"

Tony blinked his eyes open, ashamed that he'd been hoping to wake to something other than his current reality.

He hated being kidnapped. It sucked, especially when the kidnappers were actually smart enough not to give him access to anything he could turn into a weapon.

So far, it had been a lot of sitting around. They'd given him no information, they'd barely said more than ten words to him the entire time they'd had him, and Tony was so done with it.

He just wanted to go home.

Tony struggled to his feet and was promptly punched in the gut, forcing him to lean forwards. He felt a hand grip his bicep, and he was pulled forwards roughly, and pushed onto a chair. His hands were untied and then quickly re-tied to the chair arms.

"Is it recording?" one of the people said, his voice low and gruff.

Tony managed to raise his head enough to see that there four people in the room with him, strategically placed all around him.

"Yes."

"Then do your worst," the first man said. "Just make sure he doesn't die."

…

 _The sunshine made Steve's blond hair look even lighter. Tony couldn't tear his eyes away._

" _We're on our way for you, Tony," Steve murmured softly. "You've just got to hold on. We're coming."_

 _Tony frowned. "What are you talking about, Steve? You're with me now."_

" _Hold on," Steve repeated. "Please, Tony. Hold on until we get there."_

Tony choked on his own saliva, coughing harshly until he was a drooling mess. He'd been placed on a thin mattress, with milk white sheets both under him and covering him. Every single part of him ached, and he was pretty sure he had bruises on his bruises.

Dream Steve's voice still echoed in his mind, telling him to hold on, but… Tony was tired. Not even just of this particular kidnapping. He was tired in general, had been for too long now. It would be so much easier to just… surrender to the blackness that beckoned him.

He was alone in the room now, though how long that would last now he was awake was anyone's guess. He figured that they were watching him, because since they'd locked him up, every time he'd woken someone was there within minutes.

He shifted slightly, and then paused, watching the dust motes swirl where they'd been disturbed. What he wouldn't give for a warm bath and fresh clothes and sheets.

He looked himself over as best he could, unable to move too much both due to the restraints still holding him fairly still, and the pain in his limbs. Bruises of various shades of purple and blue littered his skin, almost black in places.

Sure enough, there was a loud bang as the door was pushed open, and then lower sounds of whispered conversation.

Tony was hauled up, with no care given to his injuries. He gasped as his ribs were caught against a sharp elbow.

Two of his captors carried him from the room into a dark, dank corridor. Tony tried to look for any details that would give him an indication of where he was, but there was absolutely nothing that stood out to him.

"Where are we going?" he asked, forcing the words past the dryness in his throat.

He was ignored of course, but then he hadn't really expected an answer.

The room he was taken too was better lit than the one he'd left. It took Tony a moment to realise why the equipment he was looking at was so familiar, but then it all clicked into place and he was immediately horrified.

"Please, don't," he begged, pride forgotten as he fought against the hands holding him. "Don't do this, please don't do this, I don't want this, please, just kill me instead!"

He was held down until he was strapped tightly to the machine, but he fought until the injections pushed into his skin, holding him in place.

Then he could do nothing but scream.

…

" _I'm sorry they've done this to you against your will," Steve said, running a gentle hand over Tony's arm, his fingers caressing the skin lightly._

 _Tony shrugged, basking in the sunlight. It was so warm and comforting, such a vast contrast to the dungeons he'd been kept in._

" _It's done now. Nothing I can do about it."_

" _You don't need us to save you now, you know? You can save yourself. We're on our way, Tony, but if you can get out…"_

 _Tony smiled sadly at Steve. "I probably could, but to escape, you need to have a will to live."_

When Tony woke, the room was in immediate focus. He could see with so much clarity it was disarming. He no longer hurt, and he could feel the strength running through him, just waiting for him to put it to use.

He was powerful in a way he'd never been before, not even in the suit.

"Oh, good, you're awake, Mr Stark." Tony looked to his left to see a man in a long lab coat smiling at him. "It didn't seem to go quite as the notes told us it would, though you seem quite fine now."

"Why did you do this to me?" Tony asked, his voice soft. "I never wanted this."

"Come now Mr Stark. The future will soon be a thing of the past and as the world's leading futurist, surely you see the merit of staying a step ahead of the pack?"

"Actually, I'm quite ready to let the new generation take over," Tony replied, closing his eyes. "You've… ruined me."

"We've improved you," the man corrected. "In time, you'll see that, and you'll thank us."

"You're insane. You're going to prison, if you're lucky enough to live through however long it takes for my team to find me."

"Perhaps," the man agreed. "But I've already succeeded in what I wanted. I've created a superior super soldier. My work will be lauded as better than the great Erskine. What could be better than that?"

Tony could tell he wasn't going to get anywhere fast with this loon, so he turned his head away and closed his eyes. He strained his arms just a little against the restraints, and he felt the give in them immediately. He could release himself without effort.

That was interesting.

Before he could debate with himself on actually doing so, there was yelling in the distance. The man in the lab coat cursed and turned away from Tony.

The yelling got louder, and then, Tony heard a voice he recognised. Loud already, Thor when he was angry was practically deafening.

His team had arrived.

Tony strained against the bindings holding him in place, then snorted when they fell away as though they were made of paper. He sat up, a little uncoordinated, given his larger proportions, and then climbed down from the bed he'd been laid out on.

One of the men in the room approached him, hesitant as he moved to try and subdue Tony. One punch and the man was out cold on the floor. Tony didn't bother to check if he was dead. The man in the lab coat stared at him for a long moment before he turned and ran.

Tony followed him, catching up with him easily in the corridor.

"I warned you, didn't I?" he said, gripping the man by his arm.

"Tony?"

Tony turned his head to see Steve looking at him with wide eyes. Oddly, their eyes were level. That was going to take some getting used to.

"Is this the man that did this to you?" Steve asked, clearly testing and cautious as he approached. Tony nodded and pushed the man towards Steve.

"Arrest him, or kill him. I just want to go home."

…

"You really should be seen by medical, Stark."

Tony glared at Fury until the man raised his arms in surrender.

Tony had yet to see what had been done to him, so as soon as he could, he escaped the entourage of Avengers and locked himself in the bathroom. He took a deep breath before he turned to look in the mirror.

His eyes widened as he took in his appearance. Everything he'd ever been insecure about was gone. His face was still almost the same, except for many of the age marks had gone. The bastardised serum had taken _years_ off of him.

His body was closer to Steve's than his own, though he'd somewhat been expecting that.

What the hell was he supposed to do with all of this. He didn't want any of it. He'd been so tired, exhausted even, for months. He was ready to retire Iron Man, to move back to the coast and relax into old age.

He'd been ready to give up the fight.

Thanos had taken so much out of him, so much out of all of them, and Tony had long since realised he couldn't keep fighting.

Except… Except now, he had no excuses. No longer old, or physically run down, he had no reason to hide himself away from the world.

"Tony?"

A quiet knock followed his name being spoken and Tony sighed. He crossed the room and unlocked the door, stepping back to let Steve in.

"You… you look…"

"Like you," Tony finished for him. "They made a serum, 'better than Erskine's', apparently. Not that they gave me much choice before they strapped me into the machine."

Steve just looked sad. He reached out a hand and cupped Tony's cheek gently. "I'm so sorry we didn't get there before they could do this to you."

Tony shrugged, but he couldn't stop himself from leaning into the touch. "It is what it is, I suppose."

Seeming to gain confidence when Tony didn't reject his touch, Steve stepped closer and wrapped his arms around Tony. "We'll all help you with this," he promised, tugging Tony into a tight hug. "I promise."

"I know you will," Tony admitted. "I just… I thought I could be done, Steve. I thought… I thought I could finally get some peace, you know?"

Steve smiled sadly. "I don't think people like us were made for peace, Sweetheart."

Tony snorted and buried his face against Steve's chest. "Probably. Can we just… can we just go back to the Tower. I just want to go home, Steve."

"Fury is expecting a debrief," Steve replied, and Tony's heart sank. "So we're going to have to be sneaky."

Tony looked up to meet Steve's eyes. "You'll sneak out with me?"

"Of course I will. When we're out, we can let the team know so that they can sneak out too."

Tony chuckled. "You're on."

There was a lot to deal with still, and a lot to process, but as Steve laced their fingers together, Tony thought that maybe, so long as he didn't have to do it alone, it would be okay in the end.

With Steve and the team at his side… maybe Tony wasn't quite done yet.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney S1. Include a dream in your fic

Attic - 20. "The future will soon be a thing of the past."

Arcade - Ken Masters - Blonde / Black / Powerful

Book Club - Commander Julius Root - Yelling / Purple / Loud

Basement - Clint Barton - Purple

365 - 55. Injection

1000 - 140. Being Kidnapped

Seasonal

Days of the Year - Blah, Blah, Blah day - Ignoring someone

Spring - Fresh

Colour - Milk White

Flowers - Hyacinth - Surrender

Elemental - Dust

Star Chart - Virginid Meteor Shower - Insecure


	37. TonyBucky 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 _Written for Ari, who is every version of gorgeous._

 **Word Count** \- 4526

 **AN/Warning** \- This is a very different Tony to the one I usually write, so… fair warning? Also Apocalypse!au, so dead people happen.

* * *

 **in your eyes, I see a universe**

* * *

He grew up knowing he was different. He'd never been a homebody, but most people formed some attachment to the place they lived, to the people they knew, to the things around them.

Tony never did. At least… not until he learnt how to build.

His first bot, DUM-E, was the first thing to inspire any emotion in Tony. He loved the annoying little shit almost as soon as he heard the first forlorn beep.

When Tony realised that finally, finally he could have a connection to something, he quickly set about making more. U and then Butterfingers followed along close behind Dummy, and then, his brightest creation of all, JARVIS.

Tony _cried_ when his AI greeted him for the first time.

Howard, Tony's father, hated the bots. He called Tony names, said he was egotistical to think that the only things worth paying attention to were things he'd invented himself.

Twice, he tried to destroy DUM-E, until Tony in a fit of rage, threatened to slice his neck. Something on his face must have told Howard that Tony wasn't joking, because with a pallid face, he left the room and didn't ever make a threat against the bots again.

In fact, he distanced himself even more than he'd already been from Tony, refusing to even remain in the same room as him for too long.

Tony's mother never really seemed to notice, or if she did, she never said anything about it to Tony. While they'd never had the best relationship, Tony knew his mom loved him.

He'd grown up listening to her tell him tales of the world, a world he would love to see if only given the chance. She told him of the vineyards in Italy, and the winding cobblestone streets of Venice. She spoke of the Eiffel tower, and the Great Wall of China, and the Taj Mahal.

He loved to listen to her speak for hours at a time, and it was one of the few things he didn't tire of in his childhood.

She taught Tony many of the life lessons he lived by too, although he wasn't sure if she ever realised that when she'd been alive.

"Every person you look at, you can see the universe in their eyes, if you're really looking," she'd told him. He'd bought enough sunglasses to wear a different pair every day of the month the day after.

It was the best thing she'd taught him, to shield his eyes as a barrier against the world. A protection against others seeing his weaknesses and using them against him.

When the world fell, his parents were among the first to perish. Tony watched on the news as more people became victim to the virus sweeping across both the nation and the world.

He felt regret for their deaths, he did, but he didn't mourn. People died, it was what they did, what they were always meant to do.

The panic was widespread and loud, the mainstream media declaring it the end of the world for all to see. Stability was lost, and slowly but surely, society crumbled. There was no villain to blame, no way to fight the vicious mysterious virus.

There was panic, and there was death, and there was no inbetween.

Tony had no idea how he hadn't fallen to it. He'd been ready to die. He was curious as to what came next, if anything at all. And yet, he lived. There was a small number on the planet that did, though nobody could work out how or why that happened.

It seemed to be luck, or chance, though with so few left after the dust settled, nobody expected the earth to remain populated for long.

Tony remained in the mansion he'd grown up in until the food ran out. He had no reason to venture out, not until he had to. When he did, it was to an eerie silence.

There were nearby shops, windows already smashed, and innards a mess, that still had some food. The looters that had taken their chance hadn't been able to take everything. Tony filled his backpack and returned to the mansion.

He'd managed to wire the place, gained some small amount of power—enough to keep his food fresh and a few lights around. Enough to run JARVIS, and for his bot's charging plates to work. They'd been the only thing Tony had worried about.

It lasted almost a year, before the food ran out. Tony had attempted to grow his own food, but he didn't have the patience or the temperament for it, and he'd long since given up the attempt. Instead, he thought to venture out further.

He knew he'd be alone—he certainly couldn't afford to take his bots with him, though he'd managed to design a portable uplink for JARVIS to remain with him, at least for a time.

When he left the mansion, it felt like an odd sort of freedom.

For all of his life, he'd been in the mansion, free to roam the nearby towns but always expected back by the time night fell.

At twenty two, Tony had never been away from the mansion for longer than a single night, and that was on a trip with his father when he'd been a boy.

Tony travelled far, much further than ever before. He spent his days walking, and his nights bunkering down wherever he could find shelter.

JARVIS kept him company, helped him fill the too silent air with noise as he walked, and it was closer to an imagined perfection than Tony had ever found before.

As Tony left the towns for the countryside, he found himself following the fragrant air to a field of flowers he'd never seen.

He found apple trees, berry bushes, and once, a potato field.

Into new towns, and he found packaged food, bottled water, and even cigarettes and alcohol in a barely touched small shop on an out of the way road.

Each time, he took as much as he could conceivably carry.

During all of this, for well over two months, Tony didn't run into another human.

He saw animals, dogs, cats, rabbits, deer once he got deeper into the country. He thought that he saw a wolf one night, but was half convinced he'd imagined it—there had been a period of time in which he'd struggled to keep himself hydrated.

The lack of humanity, Tony was sure, was what led to his entire body freezing when he heard unexpected voices one early morning, while foraging a new store for food.

Tony hadn't believed he'd run into anyone. Perhaps a stupid belief, in hindsight, but after so long of finding nobody… he'd perhaps sunk into a false sense of security. His paranoia had eased, had let him be caught.

Not that they actually caught him.

Tony got away, with no one the wiser than he'd ever been there.

He thought to move on, but his curiosity be damned, he remained. He even, on one particularly adventurous morning, followed the voices for a time, watching from a safe distance with JARVIS murmuring in his ear the entire time.

It, embarrassingly, took two weeks to realise that the people actually still lived in the area. There were five of them, four men and one woman, and they seemed to be shacked up together in a modest building that edged the nearby forest.

Curiosity as sated as it would ever get without actually speaking to them, Tony planned to move on.

He almost made it, too.

…

"You've been following us."

Tony whirled around, his knife sliding from the holster on his arm into his hand immediately. Only two of the five stood in front of him, but Tony wasn't stupid enough to believe that the others wouldn't be around somewhere nearby.

"It's alright, we're not going to hurt you."

It was the man who spoke, and he had kind eyes. Turquoise almost, but maybe a little darker. He was tall, built and blond. The woman standing beside him seemed almost dainty in comparison, but Tony could see the wiry strength in her arms, and her eyes told tales of strength and determination.

Tony refused to underestimate her.

The blond man was smiling at him, and he held his hands up in the universal sign for peace, but Tony didn't trust him for a moment. Tony took a step back, angling himself towards the back door. He wondered if he should take the chance and make a break for it, but a noise in the back told him that he hadn't been wrong about the others being around.

"If you're not going to hurt me, why are you surrounding me?" he asked.

"We just want to know who you are," the man said.

"And if you're a threat that we need to be worried about," the woman added.

"Well. I'm just leaving, so… you don't need to worry about me at all."

She regarded him cooly.

"Are you alone?" The man asked, and Tony rolled his eyes.

"Yes."

"You could stay… if you wanted? Nobody should be completely alone in the world, especially not now. It's not safe."

"Thanks for the offer but I'm good."

Tony slid the knife back up his sleeve, confident that they probably weren't going to attack him, and hefted his backpack up onto his shoulder more securely.

"It was… Well. Bye."

Tony turned for the back door and stepped out of it, unsurprised to see two of the other men from the group loitering there.

Tony stepped past them, didn't even acknowledge their presence, and left the garden. As he closed the gate behind himself, he heard one of them murmur, "It _is_ him. I told you it was Tony Stark!"

Tony ran, all thoughts of a graceful exit forgotten. He didn't care about grace so much as he cared about getting the hell out of there before they could catch up with him.

Before the virus, he was used to being recognised. He'd been the sole heir to one of the most powerful technology companies in the world, Stark Industries, and the world had kept a close eye on him.

Not that he'd ever cared. He didn't particularly care about the company either, though he'd always planned to take the reins when his father was ready to hand them over. Now it was a moot point of course, but he was used to people recognising him.

Except… it seemed different now.

With so few people left, he should be just as nameless as the rest of them. To hear his name whispered in such excited tones made him nervous and twitchy and he didn't particularly care for the feeling.

"You sure can move when you want to."

Tony closed his eyes and sighed. He'd stopped to catch his breath, sure that they wouldn't have tried to follow him.

"What do you want?"

"My friend, he has a problem, and we think maybe you could fix it."

Tony rolled his eyes. "What on earth makes you think I would _want_ to?"

"Well, kid, it's been a while since you've had company. I think being around us for a little while could do you some good."

"Kid?" Tony turned around to find himself face to face with the smallest of the bunch. He had brown hair and brown eyes and seemed quite plain, if not for the warmth in his eyes.

"Eh, you're all kids to me, I'm old."

"You're barely thirty, you idiot."

Tony looked over the man's shoulder to see the blond man who'd spoken to him earlier walking up at a slow pace.

"Sorry about back at the house, Mr Stark," the man said. "I didn't even think to introduce myself. I'm Steve. Steve Rogers."

Tony just stared at him. He didn't care for their names, didn't want to speak with them, let alone stick around to help one of them.

"Well, like I said, thanks but no thanks."

He turned but a gentle hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Please, kid. Bucky, he's got one of the Stark Industries prosthetics… he could really use your help."

Tony stopped trying to free his shoulder. The prosthetic line had been his, right from the very beginning. His father hadn't been interested, but he hadn't stopped Tony either. Just like his bots, Tony felt an affinity for every single one of the limbs he crafted by hand.

He'd never met anyone who'd received one of the limbs, and now he _wanted._ He wanted to see it attached and in action.

"Come on, kid. It's not like you've got anywhere to be, is it?"

Tony rolled his eyes but slowly turned back to face them. "Which one of you is it?"

"Long dark hair, always wears long sleeves."

Tony nodded. "Stop calling me kid and I'll come and have a look."

The blond seemed to deflate with relief. "Thank you, Mr Stark."

Tony shook his head. "Tony."

The one who kept calling him kid grinned. "Clint."

Tony nodded, and then waved his hand in front of him impatiently. "Lead on then, I don't have all day to just stand around."

Clint grinned.

…

On the way, Tony learnt that the woman's name was Natasha, and the dark skinned man was named Sam, and then of course, there was Bucky.

Steve and Bucky have been friends since childhood, and they met the other three a few weeks after the virus wiped out most of the world. What had started out as necessity had grown into friendship, and the five of them were a close knit self made family.

Clint wove the tale in the same way his mother once had, and while he pretended that he wasn't interested, Tony paid close attention to every single word.

They reached the house, and Tony followed them inside slowly, looking around. He was led through, and then out again, into the spacious garden behind the house. The space was used well, and there were plenty of vegetables and fruit growing, ripe for the picking.

Bucky, or so Tony assumed, was lounging back in a garden chair, watching Tony approach with appraising eyes.

Tony stopped in front of him and stared at his left arm, waiting.

"What, not even a conversation?" Bucky asked, his tone teasing.

"Hi. Now can I see it?"

Bucky snorted, but he pulled up his sleeve to show off the silver prosthetic.

Tony was _horrified._

"What've you _done_ to it?" he gasped, eyes grazing over the many scuffs and scratches on the surface.

Bucky's eyes widened. "Battle scars," he said, though he looked a little unsure of himself. "It's been a hard year."

Tony glowered down at it for a long moment before he sighed. "What problems are you having with it? I can see that the wrist needs calibrating, but what else?"

"How… how did you know that?"

"The plating is half a centimeter over from where it should be."

"I. Yeah, the wrist, the thumb, and the elbow joint," Bucky said quietly. "They jam up sometimes, and the elbow locks into awkward positions for hours at a time."

Tony nodded. "Do you have tools here? I have some with me but… I don't think I have enough for… this."

"We have some," Steve said, nodding like an eager puppy. "I'll get them for you and bring them out—"

"No. I need a proper workstation with decent lighting. It's going to start getting dark out soon and I won't be able to see shit."

"Lighting will be problematic without electricity, no?" Clint asked, head tilted to the side. "Looks like you're staying the night, Kid."

Tony glared at him.

Clint just grinned.

…

"You're so focused," Bucky commented, the following morning when Tony arranged his makeshift workstation.

"You know there's no major rush for this, right? It's not like anything pressing is happening."

Tony scowed. "There is a rush because you _destroyed it_ and it needs _fixing."_

He worked slowly, taking each piece off and placing it delicately to the sides. He would have to buff the scratches out of the metal too, because the scratches and marks physically hurt him to look at them.

Bucky tried to engage him a few times, but Tony mostly ignored the chatter. He wasn't particularly interested in the person attached to the arm. As in the rest of his life, Tony couldn't bring himself to be interested in humanity—especially not when there was technology to work on.

"It already feels much better," Bucky said, hours later when Tony was finished unjamming the elbow. "Thank you, Tony."

Tony nodded. He wanted to carry on working, but Bucky was firmly done for the day, and Tony worried that he'd tell Tony to bugger off if he pushed too hard.

With hours left in the day, Tony didn't really know what he was supposed to do with himself. Clint and Sam both tried to engage him, but Tony had never been great at conversation even when it was expected of him in his youth, and after spending so much time alone, he was even worse at it.

Instead, he went and hid in the garden, and activated his earpiece for JARVIS.

The soothing tones of his AI instantly settled his nerves. He spoke softly, telling JARVIS about the prosthetic arm, and almost jumped out of his skin when Clint dropped down beside him.

"Are you actually sat here talking to yourself?"

Tony hesitated.

Clint blinked and then his eyes zeroed in on the small earpiece. "Are you… talking _to_ someone?"

"It's my AI. JARVIS."

"AI?"

"Artificial Intelligence."

"How… how is he… I mean… What?" Clint trailed off and raised his hands in question.

"He's charged by solar power back at my house," Tony explained reluctantly. "And the earpiece has a little solar panel so I can still talk with him when I'm not home."

"That… is awesome," Clint announced. "You should take us to your house. I miss electricity. I miss television and music and… kettles."

Tony blinked. "You know that the broadcasters all went down, right? Even though I do have limited electricity at home… TV and radio isn't actually a thing now?"

Clint pouted and then cheered up. He was fascinating to watch. "But a kettle?"

"Yes. I can power a kettle. But… fire heats water, so… you can still have hot water, you know?"

"But convenience is kettles."

Tony snorted.

"So… what's the deal with the sunglasses? At first, I thought maybe you had light sensitivity outside, but Bucky said you didn't take them off even when you were working on his arm. What's up with that?"

"I just wear them."

"Always?"

"Yes."

"Why though?"

Tony shrugged. "Habit. I always have."

Clint stared at him for a long moment. "Well, everyone has their quirks, I suppose. Anyway, I'm here to tell you that dinner is almost ready. You should come eat before Bucky and Steve get their mitts on the food, because those two can _eat."_

Tony didn't really want to join them. He could have found something on his own—he was pretty sure he still had food in his backpack. He knew though, that if he didn't eat with them, they'd think him rude.

Normally he wouldn't care about that in the slightest, but… the threat of having his access to Bucky's arm revoked made him care. He had a deep seated need to put the arm to rights, to make it as good, if not better, than it had been before.

It was what he did.

Dinner was potatoes cooked on the fire in tinfoil. It was possibly the best thing Tony had ever eaten. He didn't know how to feel about that.

…

It took Tony almost two weeks to fix Bucky's arm. The limited time Bucky would sit for him made it much longer than it should have been, but finally, Tony did the last screw up on the final plate and had Bucky perform a series of stretches.

"That… is amazing," Bucky murmured when he was finished. "It's never moved so easily, not even when I first had it fitted."

The compliment made Tony smile.

Bucky's eyes widened. "You… you should smile more."

Tony blinked. "I. Erm. I should go now."

Bucky frowned. "What?"

"Well, I mean, your arm is done so—"

"That doesn't mean you have to leave!" Bucky argued. "You should, you know, stick around. Stay with us. We like you."

The idea that they could like him was so outlandish that Tony didn't really know how to compute it. Why would they like him? He barely spoke to them, spent as little time with them as possible, and he was… odd.

He opened his mouth a few times to reply, but he had no words to force out. He didn't know what to say.

"It's not like you've got a schedule to follow now, is it?" Bucky asked. "None of us have."

"Well, no, but… I never really intended to stick around."

"Plans change," Bucky pushed gently. "Will you have a better time out there on your own?"

"I, uh. I don't know."

Bucky reached up slowly, giving Tony chance to pull away. Tony didn't understand what he was doing until it was too late to stop him, and Bucky gently pulled his sunglasses from his face.

Their eyes met, and they stared at each other for a long moment.

"You've got beautiful eyes, doll. You shouldn't hide them away so much."

Tony was, once more speechless. His mother had been right. He could see every lash framing Bucky's eyes. He could see the slight differences in the brown flecks and the way Bucky's pupil dilated slightly as they looked at each other for longer and longer.

In Bucky's eyes, he could see a universe.

Tony took the sunglasses back and shoved them on his face, leaving the room as fast as his legs could carry him. Bucky called out to him but Tony ignored him.

He grasped his backpack and shot out of the front door, running until he couldn't run anymore. Nobody had followed him this time, and he slowed to a walk, activating JARVIS as he did.

"Mom was right, J," he murmured, heart pounding in his chest. "I saw a universe."

"Then why are you not still with Mr Bucky, Sir?"

"What?"

"If you have found a connection, why are you not still there?"

"I… I… I think I'm scared, J."

"Scared of what, Sir?"

"I've never… I don't… I don't get people. You know that, J. I never have. People… I don't feel… things… for them."

"Perhaps you just needed to find your person, Sir."

Tony didn't reply. Was Bucky really his person? Tony had always thought he didn't have people, and honesty, he'd never truly wanted them. Machines, his bots, even JARVIS, they were all predictable in their ways, even when they weren't.

Humans were not.

A quiet noise made Tony jump and he spun around only to stop and sigh with relief. A small cat, not much older than a kitten walked up towards him, meowing pitifully. It rubbed up against Tony's leg, leaving little hairs on his trousers.

Tony crouched slowly and pulled his bag from his back. He pulled out a bottle of water and a half empty plastic box, emptying the contents of it into his bag. He poured the water and watched as the cat immediately lapped at it.

When it had drank it's fill, it moved back other to Tony and nudged his hand until Tony realised it wanted stroking.

It was… cute.

Ginger and white fur, and bright eyes.

Bucky would love it.

And just like that, Tony knew he was screwed.

…

"I didn't think you'd come back."

Tony slowly pushed his sunglasses up to his head and looked at Bucky. "I uh, don't think I was planning too, but… I found this little guy and though… well. I thought you'd like him. I remember, you said you liked cats so…"

He handed the cat over carefully into Bucky's gentle hands and watched the man coo over it for a moment.

"I didn't even think you were listening while I prattled on," he said, looking up at Tony again.

"I listened," Tony murmured. "I just… don't know how to, erm, people?"

Bucky snorted, and shifted the cat into his metal hand, holding it firmly but softly. He held his flesh hand out for Tony to take. Tony took it, and was tugged until he was pressed up against Bucky's side.

"Stay?"

Tony nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, I'll stay."

…

Tony cried when DUM-E whirred towards him, the minute he walked into the workshop. He'd been so worried that something could have happened to his bots while he'd been away, and to see his first made again was wonderful and painful all at the same time.

It had taken Bucky and Clint quite a while to convince Tony to take them to his home, to meet his bots. Tony hadn't been sure if he wanted to go back at all. He'd missed his bots so much but the freedom he'd found would be hard to give up.

Bucky stood back, watching the reunion with fondness. When Tony looked at him, he could see a little bit of concern in his eyes, but he couldn't focus on it, not right then.

Eventually, Bucky left, rejoining the others to explore the house and grounds. Steve had been eager to begin planting their first batches of vegetables.

Hours passed without Tony's notice, until eventually, exhaustion beckoned. He sent the bots back to their plates, and stood, groaning at the aches in his joints that came from sitting on the floor so long.

He found Bucky in the kitchen, sitting at the table with his head in his hands. Tony stroked his hand over the joint between prosthetic and skin.

"You okay?"

Bucky startled beneath his touch and looked up, twisting his neck to look around at Tony.

"I'm… I thought maybe, now that you're back here with your bots… I thought, erm—"

"You thought I'd ditch you the moment I got back in my workshop," Tony said, because in the spirit of fairness, it wasn't a completely unreasonable worry.

Bucky nodded, leaning back so he was resting against Tony's stomach. Tony wrapped his arms around both of Bucky's shoulders.

"I can't promise that there won't be days when I prefer just the company of my bots," he murmured. "But I'll always come back to you Buck. Always. You were the only person I ever found a universe in."

Bucky turned and buried his face against Tony's stomach. "I love you."

"I love you too."

And things weren't suddenly fixed. The world was still a mostly barren waste, and they were probably all going to die, but Tony didn't care about any of that. He had his bots, and he had Bucky, and he even had the others (though admittedly he wasn't always sure that was a good thing).

In a world gone to hell, Tony had found his own little slice of heaven.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Assorted Appreciation - 4. Write about death.

Book Club - Foaly - Paranoia / Tinfoil / Homebody

Showtime - 16. Villain

Attic - 14. "Every person you look at, you can see the universe in their eyes, if you're really looking."

Arcade - 10. Elena - "You should smile more." / Smiling / Grace

Basement - T'challa - Cat

Film Festival - 19. Schedule

Days of the year - 52. Passover begins - Write about someone gaining freedom from something.

Spring - 3. Fragrant

Colour - 7. Turquoise

Flowers - 7. Primrose - Perfection

Elemental - 10. Stability

365\. 53. Mainstream

1000 - 18. Outlandish


	38. SamBucky

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Written for Lo, who brings out both the best and the worst in me. I love you. :P_

 **Pairing** \- SamBucky

 **Auction Prompt** \- Siren

 **Word Count** \- 698

* * *

 **Siren Song**

* * *

Sam loved flying over the ocean. It was so peaceful and calming, and sometimes, he just needed a little peace and calm. Not that he didn't love battle and excitement, because he did, but occasionally, it was nice to relax.

He'd always felt calmer when close to the water.

A noise made him turn, his metal wings holding him steady in the air. It sounded like… singing, except… not very good singing.

Curious, he moved closer to the voice, entirely baffled as to who could be singing out in the ocean. There were no ships around so it wasn't coming from one of those.

He dropped lower, and caught sight of a cluster of rocks. There was something…

The word mermaid crossed his mind and he shook his head because there was no such thing as mermaids, dammit. The voice got louder as Sam got closer and he cringed a little because… that really was very not good.

There was a man—at least Sam thought it was a man—sitting on the rock, dark brown hair falling around his shoulders and covering half of his face. He was naked for the most part, a fragile looking toga wrapped around him to just barely cover his modesty.

Sam landed on the furthest rock from the man and took a hesitant step forward. The man turned, his hair shifting to reveal his face. He looked startled, and his eyes were wide and disbelieving.

"It worked?"

Sam stopped. "What worked?"

"My, uh, my song brought you to me?"

"Oh. Well. I guess?" Sam replied, taking another step closer.

"Huh." The man smiled a little smugly. "I told them I could do it! They kept saying I wasn't a real Siren, that I couldn't lure anyone in!"

Sam had heard of Sirens, of course he had. Of course, they were a myth and clearly this dude was as crazy as they come, but…"

"Erm. Sure?"

"I'm Bucky. I, I'll be honest, you're my first, so I'm not really sure what to do now."

Sam choked on a laugh.

"I think I'm supposed to like, eat you, but that just seems… unsanitary really. I mean. You have metal wings, dude. That's gonna hurt my teeth."

Sam lost it. He laughed harder than he'd ever laughed before, until tears were streaming down his face.

Bucky watched him with growing bewilderment until finally, Sam managed to get himself under control.

"Sorry," Sam said, wiping away the tears. "I just… how did you even get out here, man? We're in the middle of nowhere!"

"I live just by here," Bucky argued. "Like, sixty feet that way. Or something."

"Uh huh. You live on the seabed with Ariel and friends, huh?"

Bucky looked affronted. "I don't live with mermaids! What is wrong with you! Did you come here just to offend me?"

"I mean… I came to see who was strangling cats but—"

"What?"

"Come on, man. You know you can't, you know, sing, right?"

Sam watched as the words seemed to sink in, and to his horror, Bucky looked _hurt._

"You mean… I didn't lure you?"

"Well… you lured me with curiosity?" Sam offered.

"But not… they were right? Am I… Am I broken?"

"Oh, dude no," Sam said, dropping to his knees beside Bucky. "You're not broken. You're just… special."

"Special isn't necessarily good though, is it?" Bucky asked, head down. His face was shielded by his hair, but Sam still felt like a heel.

"Sure it is," he said, laying a gentle hand on Bucky's shoulder. "You said I'm your first, right?"

Bucky nodded.

"Well, how many of the other sirens ever had repeat customers, hmm?"

Bucky looked up. "You… you'll come back?"

Sam nodded. "I'll come back. I promise. Just… do me a favour, okay? Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you're broken, because you're not. You're just special, okay?"

Bucky smiled, and suddenly, Sam could believe he was a siren. The singing might need some work, but that smile could end wars.

"Okay. I… okay."

Sam squeezed his shoulder. Siren or not, he'd come back and see Bucky as soon as he possibly could. If only to see that smile again.


	39. Tony&Steve 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom**

 **Characters** \- Steve and Tony (v. much team!Tony)

 **Word Count** \- 922.

* * *

 **Nothing More To Say**

* * *

They were friends. Sure, it was a slightly odd friendship, the man out of time and the eccentric futurist, but it worked for them. They met up for lunch, caught movies together, fought evil and saved the world together.

So you know, a normal friendship.

Whatever it was, it worked for them, and Tony trusted Steve. He trusted him because not only was Captain America inherently trustworthy, Steve Rogers had put in the graft to _make_ himself trustworthy.

Tony thought that was why it hurt so much in the end, to be proven wrong.

…

The letter came and Tony read it and then set it on fire. He'd have preferred Steve hadn't even tried to apologise rather than sending a letter that basically said to Tony that Steve regretted absolutely nothing of what he'd done.

It was a hard pill to swallow though.

That their friendship had meant absolutely nothing to Steve.

"You okay?" Rhodey asked, eyes pinched with worry.

"Fine," Tony replied, the word falling from his lips automatically because Tony was always fine, wasn't he?

…

Discovering a secret like that, in the way Tony discovered it, leaves a mark. Logically, he knew that Steve probably hadn't intentionally hidden it to hurt Tony; that was just a bi-product of protecting Barnes.

And Tony logically knew that Barnes wasn't at fault. Not really. He'd done it but he hadn't made the decision to do and intent was everything.

If he'd known, if he'd been told by his _friend,_ given the time to process the details and maybe destroy a few things… it would have been, not fine, but better.

At least, it wouldn't have ended with Steve's shield in the Arc Reactor and Tony left for dead by someone he thought was his friend.

…

"Tony?"

"Rogers."

"Are you… okay?"

Tony turned and walked away. He had nothing to say to Captain America. He'd done what he had to do, and he'd worked with the man to defeat Thanos, but that didn't mean he had to be all buddy with him now.

A hand on his arm spun him.

"You can't just ignore me, Tony. You can't just… walk away!"

"Actually I can. I'm done. The Avengers are yours, do what you want with them. I'm out."

"Tony… you have to forgive me someday. I forgive you."

Tony blinked. "What do I need forgiving for? What, exactly, do you feel I did wrong?"

"You… Tony, you tried to kill Bucky. You can't just… pretend like that's okay."

Tony tried to count to ten. He tried to not retort but it didn't work. He was hurting from the battle they'd _just finished,_ and he was still hurting from everything with the team even though he tried to not be, and he was just so over being told what he had to do for the good of the world or for other people.

He was allowed to be angry and hurt and bitter and whatever else he wanted to feel.

"No, you know what's not okay, Steve? You holding that against me when I was seriously emotionally compromised! I had just watched him wrap his hand around my mother's neck and murder her! You can say he didn't do it until the cows come home but I fucking _watched him do it!_ And you know what? I know now, that it wasn't his fault. I've come to terms with the fact that he was forced into it, because I've had time to process. So that fight, any damage that come from that fight? It's on you, Rogers, because you fucking knew and _you didn't tell me_!"

Tony was breathing hard, his anger building.

"And you? Rather than trying to calm me down, or you know, apologise for the hell I had just watched, you just joined your buddy and you beat me down! And the best thing about it all? I could have levelled that bunker. I could have blown you into so many pieces, with just a thought and I _didn't._ You think my suit can't take you out, Rogers? You think you're any kind of opponent to the weapons I have on my person at all times? You've _seen_ me fight against enemies. You've seen what I can do. You really think I was aiming to kill, Steve? If I had been, you'd both be dead!"

"Tony—"

"So fuck you and fuck the self righteous horse you rode in on."

Tony spun away and stalked off, Steve calling his name. Tony, to his later shame, didn't realise he was being followed until Steve was in front of him, blocking his path.

"Get out of the way, Rogers."

"Tony, we need to talk. Now that you've got all of that off your chest—"

"Last time, I gave you a free pass," Tony said lowly, his armour forming around his hand. "If you don't get out of my face, I will blast you, and it will hurt. _Move_."

"I thought you only did that to enemies?" Steve asked, tone almost dismissive.

Tony powered the repulser and shot it directly at Steve's chest. He slowly walked over to where Steve landed and stood over him. He met the pained, astonished eyes of the super soldier, and smiled grimly.

"I guess now you know exactly where we stand. Or, where I stand. You keep on lying in the grass, Steve. It's the best place for you. Stay the hell out of my way."

With that, Tony walked away. He had nothing more to say.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Friends to Enemies

Flowers - 4. Azalea - Finding out a secret

365\. 61. Opponent

1000\. 914. Eccentric


	40. TonySteve 10

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonySteve (prerelationship)

 **Word Count** \- 981

* * *

 **A Shadow Of The Man**

* * *

"Anyone else want to forget about today? Anyone?" Tony asked, as the Avengers trooped through the corridors of the shield Helicarrier.

"I'm down, you got a memory removing machine just for this purpose, Shellhead?" Clint asked, slumping down in the first chair he came to when they entered the debriefing room.

Tony grumbled under his breath about making one as he stood in the corner of the room. He wanted nothing more than to sit down and never move again, but the suit had been bashed up, and if he sat down, he was going to have even _more_ metal piercing him in places that should never be pierced.

"Tony?" Steve asked, frowning. "You okay?"

"Fine," Tony replied shortly. Steve opened his mouth to (probably) argue, but Fury walked into the room and saved Tony from thinking up a lie.

"You did well out there today," Fury said, leaning against the long conference table. "But you all look like shit, so get out of here."

Tony wanted to poke him in his eye patch.

"Couldn't have told us that before we dragged our asses all the way up here, noooo, of course not," Tony mumbled as the Avengers filed out of the room.

Nat snorted.

"Let's just get to the quinjet," Steve said tiredly. "I'm sure we all could do with home right about now."

"I'll see you there," Tony called out, taking off from the landing area. He should really have travelled with his team; the suit wasn't in the best condition and he was really tired, but he just…

He couldn't show them weakness, and he was almost entirely sure that if Steve saw the state of his bruises, he'd make him go to medical.

Tony found that idea about as invigorating as a speech on following protocol from Agent Agent.

So, bad idea to fly home himself, yes. Better idea than letting Steve see his injuries, more yes.

…

"They say there's a purpose for everything, but I'm kinda wondering about you, DUM-E," Tony was muttering, when JARVIS let Steve into the workshop.

He'd showered and changed, and the rest of the team were gathering on the sofas ready for food and bad movies, but their wayward genius had yet to show himself.

"Tony?"

"Fuck," Tony muttered softly. Steve wouldn't have even heard it if it wasn't for his enhanced… everything. He took another step forward, his curiosity at why Tony was being grumpy with DUM-E turning into worry.

"Tony, are you—what the bloody hell?"

Tony had turned around while Steve was mid sentence, and the mess of bruises and cuts on his torso was shook Steve to the core.

"You swore," Tony gasped.

"Army," Steve reminded him, again, rolling his eyes. "But… Tony, why didn't you tell us about this, Jesus, look at you! Honesty is the best—"

"Honesty may be the _best_ policy, but it's important to remember, by elimination, dishonesty is the second best policy," Tony rambled waving him off. "And you would have sent me to medical if you'd known."

"You don't have to do this alone," Steve murmured, shaking his head. "If you really don't want to go to medical, and you don't have a limb falling off or something, I won't make you go."

"Like to see you try and make me," Tony grumbled.

"But I will help you dress these properly, and then, you can come upstairs and eat with your _family,_ okay?"

Tony glared at him, though there was no heat in it. "You know that's cheating, don't you? Guilting me into it by bringing up family and things."

"If it works, it works," Steve replied, clearly delighted with himself as he smiled innocently.

"Problem children, the lot of you," Tony muttered. "And yes, you bucket of bolts, I'm talking to you too," he added, looking over at DUM-E.

Steve shook his head. "Let's get you fixed up and then we'll get you fed. "He's only grumpy with you because he's hungry, DUM-E, don't worry."

Tony just rolled his eyes and let Steve work.

…

Steve looked down at Tony. He'd fallen asleep roughly twenty minutes into the movie, not long after stealing the last noodles from Steve's plate with a cheeky smile.

Slumped into Steve's side, Tony looked smaller, and younger.

For such a generous man, he was never as generous with his own self care. It made Steve sad whenever he realised just how much of a higher regard Tony held the rest of them in over himself.

"Here," Nat murmured, handing over an olive green blanket. "He always gets cold at night, he'll wake up bitching if you don't cover him up."

Steve took the blanket with a grateful smile, and a snort of agreement at her words. She most certainly was not wrong.

He covered Tony carefully and slumped a little lower himself, so Tony wasn't tilted so much. Tony snuggled closer, burying his face against Steve's shirt.

You could do as much research as humanly possible on Tony Stark, and you'd never find evidence of the man he actually was; the loving, clingy, needy man that he let Steve and the other Avengers see.

He was a shadow of the man that the press saw, but in the best possible way.

Only them, Pepper and Rhodey had ever met _that_ man, and Steve was often humbled to be on the list of people Tony trusted.

He settled in for the night, knowing that even though he could move and Tony wouldn't wake up, he wasn't going to. He never did. Steve always slept better with the comforting weight of the genius pressed up against him, and if that meant sleeping half sitting up, then so be it.

He didn't make it to the end of the movie.

He was fast asleep, his hand curled around Tony's forearm gently, holding him close by. It was perfect.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - "They say there's a purpose for everything, but I'm kinda wondering about you."

Showtime - 17. Delighted

Attic - 10. "Honesty is the best policy, but it's important to remember, by elimination, dishonesty is the second best policy."

Emporium - 2. Found family.

Arcade - 14. Sagat - Eye Patch / Olive Green / Frowning

Spring - 9. Invigorating

Birthstone - 3. Pearl - "Anyone else want to forget about today? Anyone?"

Flowers - 1. Tulip - Curiosity

Elemental - 18. "You don't have to do this alone."

Amanda - Character 17. Klaus Baudelaire - Research

Hufflepuff - 9. Generous

365\. 76. Shadow

1000\. 346. Stealing the last [food]


	41. TonyBucky 4

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonyBucky

 **Word Count** \- 2585

* * *

 **With Just A Touch (I'll Heal You)**

* * *

Waking up in a cell was sadly nothing new for Tony. Waking up in pain in a cell was also unfortunately familiar.

Since Iron Man, he'd been kidnapped less, true, but the muscle memory never truly went away.

The cell was bare, except for the threadbare mattress Tony had been laid on. Not even a blanket or pillow, the heathens. There were no windows, and the door looked solidly built.

Tony looked around the walls and ceiling carefully, searching for any hint of a camera, only to find nothing.

That was frustrating.

A clatter outside the cell sounded, and Tony pushed himself into a sitting position, ignoring the painful protests his aching limbs sent out. The door swung open, and a man Tony didn't recognise entered.

He had a smug smile on his face as he regarded Tony. Tony bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from talking. He had to find out why they were holding him before anything else.

"Beat him."

Tony blinked, but before he could move, or even try and defend himself, three other men were storming through the door.

The punches certainly were not pulled, and each blow met it's intended mark. Tony tried to protect his head as best he could, but he was already weak from whatever they'd done to him when they'd captured him.

When they finally pulled back, Tony was praying for the darkness of unconsciousness to claim him.

"I will teach you the meaning of pain, Tony Stark," the first man who'd entered said. "But first, say hello, won't you?"

Tony forced his eyes open and saw that the man had set up a camera on a tripod. He didn't speak, just closed his eyes again as he fought the nausea the pain of the beating brought.

"The Avengers will walk right into my trap to save you," the man said. "And there's nothing you can do about it."

Tony groaned. "You think," he gasped, "that they'll come and save me, but you're wrong. I'm not an Avenger anymore, haven't been for months."

The man scoffed. "They will still come for you."

"You picked the wrong man to inspire a rescue mission, pal," Tony said, his breath coming in short, sharp, gasps.

"We will see how they react when we send them the video of you bruised, black and blue, with the promise of more beatings should they choose not to save you."

"Uh huh," Tony murmured. "That sounds like great fun for all involved, I can't wait."

The man approached and kicked Tony in the stomach one final time. "Death will not be swift for you, Mr Stark."

…

Three days, Tony estimated. He'd been beaten for a second time, but left alone since, which was probably a good move on his kidnappers part. Tony was pretty sure another beating would finish him off.

The door banged open, and there was an 'oof' before it shut again.

Tony forced himself to roll over, wincing at the pain, to see what, or who, had come into the cell. It took him a moment to recognise the hunched figure. The long hair covered his face, but there was no denying the owner of that particular metal arm.

"Barnes?"

Barnes looked up, eyes wide as he took in the mess that was formally Tony Stark.

"Jesus, what did they _do_ to you?"

"Just a few love taps," Tony replied. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh, I erm. They caught me in New York. I was… there was a cat in an alley and, uh…"

Tony snorted. "They caught you because you've got a propensity for strays. Beautiful."

"How did they get you?"

"I was on a work trip," Tony replied shortly. "And I dropped my guard."

He turned back to face the wall. He just wanted to sleep. The pain was real, and it was all over, and he didn't want to have to deal with that _and_ Barnes.

"Hey," Barnes murmured, shifting closer. "You probably shouldn't go to sleep, you might have a concussion."

"I don't. I'm fine."

"Yeah, right. Of course you are."

"Cross my heart," Tony muttered.

A moment later, Tony felt Barnes' hand on his back. It was warm, and the warmth seemed to spread through Tony from that one fixed point. He wanted to shake the contact away, but he couldn't bring himself to.

Sleep claimed him before he could protest.

…

When Tony woke, something was different. He was embarrassed to admit that it took him a long minute to realise that it was the lack of pain. He felt, well, not uninjured, but certainly much better than he had when he went to sleep.

"What the fuck," he murmured to himself.

"Surprised me too."

Tony rolled over to see Barnes propped up beside where Tony was lay. "What did?"

"I touched you, and your wounds started healing. Mine did too, though with the serum, that's not entirely new so I would have disregarded it. But… unless you've got the serum too, or discovered a fast healing thing, I'd say you know what's happening."

"But we're not…"

Bucky sighed, and Tony pushed himself into a sitting position.

"I know this is the last thing you could have wanted," Bucky said eventually. "And I'm really sorry about that, but… I'd say the way you're moving is proof that we're soulmates, Tony."

"I thought… I thought I was past the point where I would find my soulmate," Tony admitted quietly. "It's just weird… know I've found you and… it being you. I, well, honestly, I thought you and Steve were… it would have made sense, you know?"

"What would have made sense?"

"The way he replaced me with you," Tony replied almost silently. "He didn't even… you can't tell me he cared that I was planning to retire. He had wanda and you so… he just waved me off like it didn't matter. And that's… it's fine, you know, because we never really got on so why should he care but… I guess I told myself it was likely the two of you were soulmates because then it didn't hurt so much to know that I could be replaced so easily."

Bucky stared at him. "There are so many things wrong with what you just said that I don't even know where to start."

Tony rolled his eyes and looked away.

"Just… we need to get you healed a bit more, and then we'll get out of here. The rest… we can deal with the rest later," Bucky said.

Without warning, he wrapped his arm around Tony's shoulder and pulled him closer, until Tony was practically pillowed along the side of Bucky's body. It made sense, the more the proximity, the more healing, but Tony _hated_ how good it felt.

…

Escaping was easier than Tony had expected it to be. He was almost disappointed that he didn't get to blow anything up. The kidnappers had clearly been banking on him being too injured to be any use to Barnes.

As they left the building, a trail of bodies behind them, a quinjet touched down. Nat, Clint, Steve, Wanda and Sam approached them as soon as the doors opened.

Now that he was free of the signal dampers, Tony was back in contact with JARVIS and had a suit on route to pick him up. He turned away from the Avengers and instructed JARVIS to call Pepper.

"Tony? Oh god, Tony are you okay?" she said when she answered and heard his voice.

"Fine, I'm fine, I promise," he eased her. "J has a suit on route, I'll be back at the offices in an hour or so, okay?"

"Do you need medical?"

"No."

"Tony—"

"Pep, I swear to you, I do not need medical. I'm fine, there's barely a scratch on me."

"Okay, okay, I'm going to let Happy and Rhodey know you're okay. I'll see you in about an hour?"

"I'll be there, Pep."

She ended the call and Tony searched his mind for something important to discuss with JARVIS so the Avengers didn't attempt to talk to him but—"

"Tony?"

He turned to meet Steve's eyes. "Cap."

"You… are you coming back with us?" he asked, nodding to the jet.

Tony shook his head. "No, J has a suit on route to pick me up. It'll be here in a few minutes."

"You, uh, Buck just told us what you said about… being replaced?"

"Of course he did."

"That's not how it happened, Tony. I never wanted you to leave the team, none of us did. We're already down Bruce and Thor and then when you—"

"You never asked me to stay," Tony replied flatly. "And you've been out on missions that you clearly could have used me for, and you never called and asked me to help. How else am I supposed to take that, Cap?"

"I did ask you to stay!"

"No," Tony replied. "You didn't. I told you I was thinking about leaving, and you said, and I quote, 'I hope you enjoy whatever you do next.' That doesn't sound like 'stay, Tony.' to me."

"That's not—"

"Wanda," Bucky said, loud enough to cut Steve off. "Why are you so pale?"

Everyone turned to look at the witch, and found that she was indeed, looking pale and shaken.

"I… I just wanted to belong," she said, her tone quiet, little more than a whisper. "I wanted somewhere to call home, and I knew he wouldn't want me to stay so… I changed his memories. I made it seem like he wasn't… wanted. By the team."

The suit landed, making Tony jump. He felt sick, violated, and he stumbled over to the suit and encased himself inside as fast as he could.

"Tony, wait, please," Steve begged, but Tony couldn't. He couldn't be around them, not right now.

He activated the repulsors and shot off into the sky.

…

"She fucked with my brain, Pep. Again."

Pepper was stoic as Tony filled her in on what had been said after he'd escaped his kidnappers. She rubbed his shoulder and then squeezed gently.

"Do you want me to legally pursue her, Tony? Because I will. I'll pull all SI support from the Avengers initiative too. We will ruin them if that is what you want because this… it's not right."

It was tempting, and for a brief moment, Tony thought about telling her to do it, to ruin them for what they'd, for what _she'd_ done to him, but he didn't.

Sadly, he even understood Wanda in a strange way. Wanting so much to belong and being afraid someone would take it away… he knew that feeling. He knew that feeling well.

He shook his head. "No. I just… no. Leave them. It's… it'll be fine."

"At the very least, they're going to kick her off the team, right?"

Tony shrugged. "What will that solve?"

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Sometimes, I love how forgiving you are, and other times, I wanna hit you upside the head. You're allowed to be angry about this, Tony!"

"I know, but…" he shook his head. "I found my soulmate too, by the way."

Pepper blinked at him. "You… what?"

"Uh huh. Barnes. Fate just enjoys fucking with me, I think."

There was silence for a long moment, and then Pepper started chuckling. She slumped in her chair and shook her head, looking at him fondly.

"Tony Stark, what even _is_ your life?"

Tony snorted.

…

Tony watched the rain through the large glass windows. He was supposed to be getting ready for a gala, but the thought of plastering a smile on his face, of schmoozing and charming people he didn't even like was purely exhausting.

The elevator dinged, but he didn't turn around.

He heard Barnes approaching, and felt when he stopped just behind Tony. A cut from an earlier oops in the lab on Tony's finger tingled and he looked down just in time to see it heal over.

"Well, that's potent," he muttered.

Behind him, Barnes chuckled. Tony turned to look at him and then paused when he saw what Barnes was wearing.

"Ah, Miss Potts called. Said you might want a date for this shindig you're hosting?"

"Pepper is a meddler," Tony retorted flatly. "But, uh, you look good."

"You look tired."

"Barnes, you absolute flatterer!"

"Call me Bucky, huh? We are soulmates. Probably prescribes to a bit of familiarity, no?"

Tony nodded absently and drained the glass he'd been holding. "I suppose I should finish getting ready then, since Pep brought out the big guns to get me to the Gala."

"You weren't going to go?"

Tony shrugged. "Hadn't decided yet."

"I mean… I can always shuck the jacket and bowtie, we can catch a movie instead?" Bucky offered, a teasing smile on his face.

"You have no idea how much that idea appeals," Tony admitted, before he shook his head, "But Pepper would have me shot."

Bucky shrugged. "I'll be right there to heal you."

"Alright smooth talker," Tony muttered. "Just… hang here, I'll be back."

Bucky nodded, and Tony left the room for his bedroom. He'd be having _words_ with Miss Potts about this.

…

"You okay?"

Tony nodded, leaning against the bar. Having Bucky there with him had made it easier, but he was still so done with it. He wanted to just… not be surrounded by so many people.

"Balcony?" Bucky suggested, nodding to the doors at the side of the ballroom.

Tony nodded gratefully, and led the way. He knew Bucky was following close behind him, and somehow, he was okay with that.

The air was cool against Tony's heated skin and he sighed in relief.

"It's nice out here," Bucky said. "I like New York better at night. I like the lights."

Tony nodded. "It's a nice city to see at night."

"I… uh. So, I know that you—"

"Do you actually know, or are you assuming?" Tony interrupted. "Because you _don't_ know me, so I'd really appreciate it if you'd ask instead of just thinking that you know what I'm feeling or doing or thinking."

"Can I kiss you?"

Tony blinked. "What?"

"Can I kiss you?" Bucky repeated, taking a step towards Tony so their chests were only inches apart. "Because it's all I've been thinking about all night."

Tony closed the distance between them, and their lips met. Bucky's lips were soft beneath Tony's, and they opened almost immediately when Tony licked at the top lip playfully. Bucky's metal arm snaked around Tony's waist, and his flesh hand cupped his cheek as they tilted their heads slightly for a better angle.

When they parted, neither of them made any move to put any distance between them.

"If you don't want this, then I'll understand," Bucky said softly. "If you can't… what I did… I'll understand. And I'll be there, whenever you need me, to help you heal from anything. But if you do want to… this," he squeezed his hand lightly on Tony's hip. "Then… I'm here, and I'm offering whatever you want from me."

Tony stared into his eyes for a long moment. "What do _you_ want?"

"I want… something, someone, that looks at me and _sees me._ That's what I want."

Tony nodded. "Okay. Come on, Snowflake, I'm done with the evening. Let's… go and shuck the jackets and bowties, and catch a movie."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

Bucky smiled wide and nodded. "That sounds perfect."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Soulmate!au, being next to your soulmate accelerates healing.

Showtime - 13. "Cross my heart."

Emporium - 6. Story told in consecutive order

Arcade - 11. Akuma - "I will teach you the meaning of pain." / Stoic / Sharp

Days of the Year - 136. National kissing day - a first kiss

Spring - 18. Pain

Elemental - 17. "I'll be there, whenever you need me."

Amanda's Challenge - Pairing - 13. Sherlock/John - A Slash Pairing

365\. 77. Proof

1000\. 143. Making a discovery


	42. TonyThor 4

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- Tony/Thor

 **Word Count** \- 3300

* * *

 **Red and Gold**

* * *

At least the self destruction was limited this time. That's what Tony told himself when Pepper's eyes filled with tears, and Rhodey paled. And at least he was being honest this time, though in fairness, the reason he'd hid it the last time was to avoid _this_ reaction.

He didn't want to upset his friends.

"There's still a chance," he promised them quietly. "I haven't given up, and I don't intend to. I just… you deserve better than to be left in the dark about this. I don't want… if it happens, at least you have time to prepare yourself."

Rhodey shook his head. "This… this isn't something you can prepare for, Tones. But thank you for trusting us and thank you for telling us."

Tony nodded. The two of them had proved themselves loyal to Tony so many times, that he knew he'd never made a mistake in trusting them.

"Have you told the Avengers?" Pepper asked, head tilted slightly to the side.

Tony shook his head no. "I… they don't need to know. This isn't a thing that I need them to be bugging me about."

"They're your team, they'd want to know about this! And what about—"

"He doesn't know about that, either, and it's going to stay that way," Tony interrupted firmly. Something in his tone told Pepper to back off, because she sighed and didn't try and continue her sentence.

"Come on," Rhodey said, bracingly. "Let's head out to that little Italian. We could all use some food, and… we haven't done that for a while, just us."

Pepper smiled and Tony nodded, only casting one wistful look at the schematics he'd been working on before they arrived.

Rhodey rolled his eyes, and tugged Tony to his feet. "Your work will still be there when we get back."

"Yeah, yeah," Tony grumbled, but it was all for show. Having a meal with the people he loved beyond all else sounded like a pretty good plan to him.

…

"How many are there? Actually, don't answer that, I don't think I want to know," Clint grumbled from the rooftop.

Tony snorted, blasting doom bots left and right as he flew through the sky. He kept an eye on his teammates below, but honestly, this was more irritating than actually dangerous. Doom was a pain in the ass that the Fantastic Four usually dealt with, but they were off planet doing… whatever it was that they did.

Slackers.

Tony spun through the sky, pushing the suit to new limits as he twirled and shot, swooped and soared. He had the time of his life, and when the battle was done, and the team sat down to debrief, he was still riding high on the adrenaline.

Which came crashing down when Steve levelled him with a _look._

"You were more chaotic than usual out there, Tony. What's going on?"

Grateful for the faceplate of the suit that he hadn't bothered to flip up as he sat down, Tony rolled his eyes. "Gotta get my fun where I can, Cap."

"You were reckless," Steve snapped. "You could have gotten yourself or someone else hurt!"

"But I didn't, so I don't really see what your problem is," Tony replied flatly. "If that's all, I'm going to go and find some people that _appreciate_ my sparkling personality."

"We're not done. We need to fully debrief."

"Well, I've got an appointment to keep." Tony stood up. "As far as I'm concerned, the mission was a success. We eliminated the threat, there was minimal damage to the surrounding buildings, and no civilians were hurt. There's my debrief. I'll see you all back at the tower later."

Tony walked out of the room to Steve calling his name. He didn't look back.

…

"I still don't think this is a great idea," Dr Cho admitted, her lips twisting with worry. "I just… don't know of anything else that is going to help at this point."

Tony sat back in his chair and rubbed his face. "It's got to be worth trying, if the only alternative is death. But… there's a problem."

"Hmm?"

"If I get… out of control… we need someone here that can take me out. I can't ask Rhodey to do that, I really can't. It wouldn't be fair to either of us, but especially him."

"Well, what about your team?"

"They don't know."

Dr Cho blinked. "What do you mean, they don't know?"

"Exactly what I said. They don't know that I'm weeks away from dropping dead. I… didn't tell them."

She closed her eyes for a moment.

"At least I told Pep and Rhodey this time," Tony defended, though even he knew it was weak.

"You've got to tell them," she murmured. "Not only are we going to need at least a couple of them here in case this goes wrong… Tony, there's still a really high chance that you're going to die."

"They don't… all need to know. I'll tell Bruce. If he's here… I can't hurt Jolly Green, and he'll be able to take me out. You know, if necessary."

Dr Cho closed her eyes for a moment. "I can't force you to tell them but… Tony, please, think about this."

"I already have."

…

"They should know."

"Nope."

"Tony," Bruce said, rubbing a hand over his face. "I don't know if I can do what you're asking me to do."

"It's fine," Tony replied. "If you can't, you can't. I'll deal with it."

"I want to help but… Tony, you're asking me to be responsible for 'putting you down' if you die. And also hiding it from the team we're both a part of."

"It's fine," Tony repeated. "Really, Bruce, don't worry about it."

"I—" Bruce shook his head. "There's really no other way to save your life?"

"Nothing that we've found," Tony admitted. "And it might not work. It is what it is, I'm… okay with it, I promise. If I'm meant to die then I will. If not… I guess we'll find out next Tuesday."

Bruce closed his eyes. "I'm not happy about this, but I'll be there."

Tony turned to look at him for a long moment. "I… thank you."

Bruce nodded.

…

The hospital room was dull.

When he said as much, Dr Cho rolled her eyes. "Were you expecting a disco ball and rock music."

"Well, now that you mention it—"

"Get in the cradle, you pain in the ass," she muttered.

Tony chuckled. "Such a fantastic bedside manner. I dig it."

…

"How are you feeling?"

"I… weird? A little warmer than usual, and… stronger. Actually, I feel pretty good."

Dr Cho nodded, looking satisfied. "You ready for the multitude of tests we're going to have to run now?"

Tony took a deep breath and nodded. He looked up to see Bruce sitting beside the cradle. "Hey Brucie Baby, you good?"

Bruce nodded.

…

"So, I uh, couldn't help but notice your soulmark," Bruce said, as Tony pulled a shirt on.

Tony paused, briefly, but then continued on getting dressed. "What of it?"

"Well, have you told him?"

Tony snorted. "What do you think?"

"I think he has a right to know about it. He's been searching for… a really long time."

"He deserves so much better than me, that it's not even funny. It's just cruel. I won't… he… it's not a thing that's going to happen."

"Shouldn't it be his choice to decide who or what he deserves?" Bruce asked, head tilting.

"Not in this."

…

"Dammit all to fucking hell," Tony snarled, swiping the holographic headline harshly to the side until it disappeared.

Before he could order the lockdown on the lab, the door swung open and Steve stood in front of him, chest heaving and anger written on every inch of his face.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?" Tony replied, hoping for a miracle.

"You know what I'm talking about, Tony! Were you dying?"

"Seems a little dramatic, clearly I'm fine."

"But you weren't, were you?" Steve demanded. "And you just… decided that what, we didn't need to know about it?"

"Well—"

Steve shook his head and stormed from the lab.

"Lockdown, J," Tony ordered, running a hand over his face. "Until further notice, nobody is allowed in the labs."

"Yes, Sir."

Even his AI was pissy with him.

…

"I think we need to talk, don't we?" Bruce sighed. "All of us together."

"Not really," Tony replied. "They hate me, it's nothing new. Just… let it blow over."

Bruce squeezed Tony's shoulder. "If they hated you, they wouldn't be so mad or _scared_ about you dying, would they?"

Tony shrugged, but eventually, he nodded.

"I'll set it up," Bruce promised. "And I'll intervene if things get out of hand."

"You will, or Jolly Green will?"

"I will. He's not exactly equipped to deal with sulking superheroes."

"Sure he is," Tony argued. "He'd just smash us all until we agreed to be friends. It'd be a party."

…

Steve crossed his arms mutinously and glared at Tony over the table. Tony wouldn't meet his gaze, choosing instead to concentrate on his phone instead.

The rest of the team gathered around the table.

Clint passed out beers, eyebrows raising when Tony shook his head and accepted a can of soda from Rhodey instead.

"A lot has happened in the last few weeks," Bruce said, looking around the table at them all. "And I know it isn't easy, but at least we should _try_ and get along together. And that includes you, your majesty."

Tony looked up to see Bruce looking at him pointedly. "Uh huh."

"It's your right to keep your secrets, but when it affects the whole team as much as this would have, you should have told us."

Tony sighed. "Probably."

"Definitely," Steve snapped loudly. "You could have _died._ You _were_ dying! You should have told us."

Tony couldn't really argue that, could he? He conceded the point, nodding his head slowly.

"If you're not going to be honest, then maybe you should just leave," Steve added, looking away.

"Maybe don't say shit you don't mean, huh, Stevie," Bucky said softly. "I get that you're angry, everyone is, but watch your words."

Rhodey snorted. When Steve looked at him, he stared back. "Did you really just tell Tony to leave the team? Really? Because from where I'm standing Rogers, you'd be fucked without him."

"Rhodey—"

"No," Rhodey snapped, shaking his head at Tony. "You save their arses on a weekly basis, and that's not including the funding you provide, or the tech, or the PR help, or the fact that every single one of them is living in your home free of charge.

"Should you have told them about this? Yes, you're a dumbass. But Captain Righteous over there isn't all about honest either, is he? And it'd do him well to remember that."

Steve paled at the reminder that he hadn't told Tony about his parent's deaths until it was almost too late.

"While I wouldn't have put it quite the way Colonel Rhodes did," Natasha said quietly, "He's right about how much Tony does for this team, and Steve… he's as much the leader here as you are."

"I know," Steve said quietly. He looked up at Tony, and his eyes were filled with tears. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I couldn't kick you off the team even if I wanted to; and I don't want to."

Tony nodded. "It's fine. I understand why you're pissed off with me."

"I just… why didn't you tell us?"

Tony frowned. "Why would I make you panic over something that could possibly be fixed. And even if it couldn't… you wouldn't have lost anything. It's in my will that SI will continued to take care of and provide for the Avengers in the event of my death, and Sour Patch would have provided the air support that I do. It didn't seem like… I just didn't think…"

Tony cut himself off, struggling for the words.

"What Tony is trying and failing to say, is that he doesn't think Tony Stark matters to the team as much as Iron Man does."

Tony glared at Rhodey. "If I meant to say that, I'd have said it, Honeybear."

"Would you?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Look, I should have told you all, and I didn't, and that was a shit thing to do. It's over and done with and I'm fine so… can we just move on?"

"It's time for a fresh start," Thor agreed. "Perhaps, now, we should focus on learning each other as people, instead of superheroes, correct?"

"Seems as good an idea as any," Bruce agreed, smiling at the demigod.

…

Team movie nights became a thing. As did team meals, and full team training and team bonding activities like paintball (which, admittedly, had been hella fun).

Tony didn't go to every single one because, yeah, he was still the head of R and D for SI, and he was contracted to SHIELD, and he also had to keep the armor in good condition _and_ keep the team's armor and weapons up to scratch.

But he did go to the ones he had time for. Oddly enough, or perhaps not so odd when thinking about Bruce's meddling, Tony found himself spending more and more time in Thor's company.

Movie night often found the two sitting on the love seat. Meals almost always had Tony sitting directly facing the god, or in the few other cases, next to him. During team bonding and sparring, Tony and Thor were often paired up, which in fairness, made sense since they were the team's air support.

But still, this had Banner written all over it.

"I told you to just let it be," Tony said, as the two of them settled into the lab.

"And I told you he has a right to make this decision himself.

"You're a bloody meddler, Banner."

Bruce grinned at him. "Yes. And I'm also one of your best friends, Tony. Is it so unrealistic to believe that I want you to be happy?"

Tony turned away, grumbling to himself.

…

"What… the bloody hell are those?" Clint asked, watching the birds burst into flame around central park.

"Phoenixes," Tony gasped. "How is this my life?"

"You know of Phoenixes in Midgard?" Thor asked, sounding a little confused.

"Only if you're a Harry Potter nerd," Clint replied. "They're not actually supposed to be real."

"Dude, you literally just said that to someone who's supposed to be a myth," Tony muttered.

"They are of Asgard, these birds," Thor said, calling the nearest to him. "I do not know how they've come to be here, but I can send them back unharmed."

"Then do it, Thor, because the civilians are starting to have a meltdown," Bucky said over the comms.

Thor went silent for a few moments and then he was gone, taking all but one of the birds with him.

"Uh, he missed one," Tony commented, as the red and gold bird flew around him in wide circles. Tony was loath to shoot it down, particularly since it was doing no harm. He landed himself on a rooftop to watch the bird, eyes wide when it followed him, landing gracefully in front of him.

He panicked and stepped back, but the phoenix simply chirped at him. It almost sounded like the bird was _laughing_.

The faceplate went down, and Tony stared at the bird. The noises it was making were reminiscent of DUM-E's chirping beeps in a way.

A clap of thunder signalled Thor's return, and he landed lightly beside Tony.

"This is Amelie," Thor said softly. "She… I believe she likes you, Tony."

Tony smiled. "She's beautiful."

"She's mine," Thor added. "She's been with me since I was but a boy. That she likes you… it explains a great deal."

Tony frowned. "What do you mean?"

"In time, you will understand," Thor replied softly. His eyes were full of fondness and affection as he looked at Tony. "Come, Amelie. Back to Asgard with you, my girl."

The bird hopped forward, brushing her wings against Tony. She chirped up at him one more time before she landed on Thor's shoulder.

"Well… that was weird," Tony muttered, as Thor disappeared once more.

…

Thor stuck closer still after that encounter. Tony waved it away as an attraction to the colours of his suit, or even the Extremis running through his veins. There was something phoenix-esque about it, after all.

"Anthony, would you honour me with a dance?" Thor asked.

Tony looked around the gala, and then shrugged. "Sure thing, Point Break."

He placed his hand in Thor's offered one, and let the taller man lead him to the middle of the dancefloor. Dancing with Thor was… enticing, in all the ways that Tony should be avoiding. His soulmark itched at their proximity.

"I believe I have figured out what it is about you that my Amelie approved of," Thor said quietly, before he spun Tony out and pulled him back in. His hand settled directly over the mark at Tony's hip.

"Oh?"

"Is there a reason that you didn't tell me you bare my mark, Tony?" Thor asked, and when Tony looked up to meet his eyes, he saw that Thor looked _hurt._ "Do you not desire me as a mate?"

Tony closed his eyes and pressed his forehead to Thor's wide chest. "You have no idea how much I desire you, Thor," he admitted. "But… you deserve so much better than me. I'm… a disaster on a good day."

"I have waited for you for centuries," Thor murmured, his voice awed. "You are nothing less than perfect for me, Tony."

Tony almost _swooned._

"Allow me a date," Thor asked, reaching a hand up to cup Tony's cheek. "Just one date, so I might prove my worth."

"Thor, it's never been about your worth! It's about mine!"

"One date, Tony," Thor repeated.

Tony closed his eyes and nodded. "Okay."

…

He hadn't been nervous about a first date since he'd been a teenager, and yet, as he made his way to the roof at Thor's behest, Tony had butterflies squirming in his stomach.

Pushing the door open to lead him to the fine evening, Tony raised an eyebrow. Thor stood by a picnic basket, a blanket already laid out on the ground.

"I thought to watch the sunset with you," he said, holding a hand out for Tony to take. As soon as their fingers touched, Thor tugged Tony closer. He pressed a soft kiss to Tony's cheek. "Is this okay?"

"It… it's perfect," Tony replied.

Thor held his hand until he sat, and then sat beside him on the blanket.

The conversation was easy, easier than Tony had expected and certainly easier than any first date he'd ever had before. They had periods of quiet while they ate, and as the sun began its descent in earnest.

The sky was shot with red and gold, and for a moment, Tony thought he could hear Thor's phoenix chirping in the distance.

Thor cupped Tony's cheek and pressed a kiss to his lips.

"My soul, my heart, my phoenix," he murmured. "Say you won't deny me."

Tony looked into his eyes for a long moment. "I really was just trying to protect you," he whispered.

"I need no protection from you, my Tony. You are my other half."

Tony shifted on the blanket until he could lean into Thor's side. Thor wrapped his arms around him immediately and held him close.

"When you are ready, my Amelie, she will cry for your pain. She will heal you."

Tony just burrowed closer. He might have been hasty, deny himself this. It was perfect.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Phoenix

Assorted Appreciation - 6. A character having a meal with the people they love.

Disney - D3. "I know it isn't easy, but at least we should try and get along together. And that includes you, your majesty."

Showtime - 11. Beer

Days of the Year - 133. International Panic Day - Write about someone panicking

Spring - 23. "It's time for a fresh start."

Elemental - 16. "I think we need to talk, don't we?"

Amanda - Pairing 4. Carl/Enid - A first date.

Hufflepuff - 8. Loyal

365\. 191. Chaotic

1000\. 228. "How many are there? Actually, don't answer that, I don't want to know."


	43. TonyBruce

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonyBruce

 **Word Count** \- 1663

 _Written for Lo 3_

* * *

 **A Perfect Fit**

* * *

Bruce knows he's in trouble when he meets Tony Stark, but he doesn't know how much until weeks later.

They're together in Bruce's lab; Tony's looking over some numbers Bruce has been struggling with for days. When Tony points out the mistake that has been evading him, Bruce could kiss him.

When he says as much, the smile on Tony's face takes Bruce's breath away. He's never seen Tony smile that way before and he cannot help but follow through on his words.

The kiss is chaste, tentative and unsure, but Tony softens beneath Bruce's lips and leans into the hesitant hand that cups his cheek.

The smile is still there when Bruce pulls back, and Bruce thinks that smile could end wars.

…

Unlike most of Tony's life, their relationship isn't flashy or extravagant. It's soft and gentle and easy.

They fit together, and Bruce couldn't ask for more, but Tony gives it anyway.

He's shy when he asks Bruce to dinner, and he blushes when, a month in, he presents Bruce with a bracelet that will expand and shrink when the Hulk makes an appearance.

They go slowly, and it's perfect, and Bruce never expected this when Natasha visited him to ask for his help, but he thinks its the best thing to come out of it.

They can talk for hours, conversations ranging from serious to ridiculous and back in a way that only Tony can manage.

They can sit in silence too, and it's comfortable in a way that Bruce hasn't experienced for years, because almost everyone he meets is at least a little bit scared of him.

Tony's not, never has been. He accepts the Hulk as part of Bruce, perhaps even more than Bruce himself does.

When Tony sits beside Bruce and automatically cuddles into his side, Bruce can only hope that they keep on fitting.

…

"Hey Brucie," Tony greets when the doors open. He's standing at the desk in his workshop, and there's a young kid with him, face flushed with excitement. "Pete, this is Dr Bruce Banner. Brucie, this is Pete, the kid I told you about."

Bruce nods, smiling at the kid.

"Oh my god, you're Dr Banner, oh my god, that's so cool. Ned's never going to believe I got to meet you; he's already super jealous that I get to work with Mr Stark and—"

"Breathe, kid," Tony says, and Bruce knows that twinkle in his eyes and he knows that tone well enough to know that Tony is fighting laughter.

"Sorry, I, sorry, I just, I always wanted to meet you, and it's so cool that you're actually here and I'm a big fan, Dr Banner."

"Of… the Hulk?"

Tony rolls his eyes and Peter shakes his head emphatically. "No, well, I mean, the Hulk is cool and all but the science, Dr Banner! I'm a fan of the science work you do!"

Bruce stares at him for a moment because ever since he joined the Avengers, the only 'fans' he has are those that like his alter-ego.

"Peter is very enthusiastic about science," Tony says softy, holding his hand out. Bruce takes it, and Tony pulls him closer to gesture to the blueprints the two of them are looking at. "Have you got a minute to give us an opinion on these?"

"Uh, yeah, of course."

…

Peter becomes a fixture in Tony's workshop, and Bruce isn't mad about it. The kid is sweet, if a little babbly, and the way he looks up to Tony never fails to make Bruce smile. The way Tony watches the kid with pride makes Bruce smile too.

It took a week for Bruce to realise that Peter is actually Spiderman, and he laughs until he cries when he does, because Spider _man_ is definitely a stretch.

"That's why you're so strict with the missions Spiderman goes on?" he says to Tony afterwards, and Tony looks sheepish.

"At least if he's with us, we can look after him."

Bruce squeezes Tony's shoulders and nods. It's not perfect, having a kid in the field, but it's better than having Peter out on his own in danger without any of them to back him up.

It's also fun listening to Tony deal with Peter's Aunt May. Tony grumbles that he didn't need _another_ hard ass telling him what to do, but Bruce notices the smiles on Tony's face whenever he speaks to May.

Bruce does agree with him when he says that May and Pepper are never allowed to meet. They'd take over the world in days.

…

"I wondered where you'd gone," Bruce murmurs, voice low and husky with sleep. He runs a hand through Tony's messy hair, and smiles when Tony leans into the contact.

Bruce is used to waking up in the night with Tony gone from their bed, but it's become less and less in the last year, so he worries when it happens now.

He looks at Peter, sprawling across the sofa with his head in Tony's lap, and sighs. "Nightmares?" he asks, nodding to the sleeping kid.

Tony nods and runs a hand over his face. "Hmm. He doesn't have them often but when he does, it's not great."

"I'll make you hot chocolate," Bruce whispers.

"Go back to bed," Tony protests quietly. "There's no sense us all being up."

Bruce smiles. "I don't sleep so well on my own these days. It's too warm without someone there to steal the sheets."

Tony rolls his eyes but he smiles and nods. "Hot chocolate sounds great."

…

It's all going well, so Bruce should've known something was going to go wrong. When it happens, he's not ready for it, and neither is Peter.

It's an accidental web, and really bad timing, but Tony has to swerve and he swerves the wrong way.

When Bruce reaches them, Peter is sitting on the floor beside the suit, with the faceplate discarded to the side. There's blood on Tony's face, and he's pale, too pale.

"I'm so sorry," Peter is sobbing. "So sorry, please be okay, I'm sorry. You have to be okay, I can't—"

"He'll be okay, Pete," Bruce comforts as best he can, but fear is freezing his insides. "Medics are on their way."

"Dad, you can't leave me," Peter whimpers, and the words hurt, because it's the first time he's slipped up even though Bruce has seen the potential for months. That it has to be this that makes him slip hurts.

Tony is fine and Peter calls him dad in the hospital when he's awake and they both cry. Bruce has dust in his eyes and they water but it's fine. Peter and Tony only have eyes for each other so nobody notices when Bruce wipes his eyes.

…

Bruce doesn't envy MJ when she's introduced to the team as Peter's girlfriend. He and Tony have met her before, but never as Pete's girl, and Tony is overprotective on a _good_ day.

She does well though, and later, when Peter is gone and Tony and Bruce are relaxing in front of the tv, Tony says, "She's good for him, right?"

"I think so," Bruce replies. "Even if she's not, we'll be there to pick the pieces up if it goes wrong."

"I… yeah. Yeah, we will."

…

Tony faints when Peter tells him he's going to be a grandad. Bruce catches him, and then laughs at him for weeks.

Tony embraces the title though, and before they know it, Baby Parker has a nursery in the tower decked out with all the latest baby furniture and tech. Tony pulls apart the baby monitor and makes it better, because that's what he does, and the baby has more soft toys before it's born than most people get in a lifetime.

When Ellie is born, Tony is in the hallway, pacing back and forth. Bruce watches him with a fond smile and doesn't try to entice him into sitting down.

Peter eventually appears and Tony is pulled into the private hospital room, with Bruce a step behind him.

Ellie is beautiful and Tony is instantly in love. When she leaves the hospital with her parents, she's wearing an Iron Man onesie and wrapped in a Hulk blanket.

The photo takes pride of place in the penthouse living room.

…

Bruce watches Tony blowing raspberries on Ellie's belly. The baby girl is giggling fit to burst, and it's the sweetest scene Bruce has seen in the longest time. Tony has taken to being a grandad like a duck to water.

"Hey," he murmurs, not wanting to interrupt but knowing he has too. "Pepper is waiting."

Tony presses a final soft kiss on Ellie's belly button and then expertly redresses her, scooping her up in his arms. She settles against his chest, her bright brown eyes looking around the room.

"Is Pete back yet?"

Bruce shakes his head. "No. He called, he's stuck at the conference. He did the babble-apology thing he does, but I told him it was fine."

Tony snorts. "He's never going to grow out of the babble-apologies, is he?"

"He's almost twenty seven, so I'd say not," Bruce replies with a grin. He holds his arms out for Ellie, and Tony hands her over easily, pausing to press a kiss against Bruce's cheek.

"I should be back in an hour," he promises, and Bruce nods.

Nothing makes Tony get his work done faster than promised time with Ellie. She's a little miracle worker, even though she can't walk or talk yet.

"We'll be here."

"Love you."

Bruce's chest tightens the way it does whenever Tony says those particular words. It's been years, and he still wonders how or why Tony loves him the way he does.

"Love you too."

Bruce still thinks that smile Tony wears whenever he hears the words repeated back to him could end wars. He's still selfish enough that he's glad it's saved just for him.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Belly button kiss

365 - 122. Enthusiastic

1000 - 345. Laughing so hard you cry


	44. TonySteve 11

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 355

* * *

 **Doesn't Come Easy**

* * *

 _just because it won't come easy_

They struggled.

It wasn't a lack of love, or want, or need, because they had all of those things in spades. They craved one another, the touch of a hand, a caress of lips, a whisper of love.

It was the other stuff that they struggled with. The communicating without arguing, the disagreeing without fighting for days.

They were fundamentally as different as two people could get, and sometimes, that made things that should be easy feel like an uphill battle.

…

"I love you," Steve murmured against Tony's sweat damp skin.

…

They stood on opposite sides of the battlefield, and they hurt each other. They were fighting different wars, one for accountability and one for a man that had spent seventy years under torture.

They fought one another and they hurt one another and for just a moment, the love and the need and the want didn't matter.

…

"I love you too," Tony replied, stroking a hand through Steve's hair.

…

A shield in a chest and a repulsor burn on a thigh.

A burner phone and a letter written too quickly, marred with grief and anger, that should never have been sent.

Two years of wondering, and wishing and waiting and wanting.

…

"But sometimes, I'm not sure if that's enough," Tony added.

…

A reunion, filled with tears and bitterness and more anger.

A second reunion, this time with softly spoken words like, "I'm sorry," and "I missed you," and "I never wanted to hurt you."

A third reunion with clumsy hands and messy kisses and bodies pressing together as close as two bodies can be.

…

"It is enough," Steve promised. "We're better together. Even when we argue."

…

A battle lost.

A War won.

A new life, and this time, it's better. They still fight and argue, and it's tough but they learn to use their words. They learn to take a step back, just for a while, and then come back together calmer and open and loving.

It's not easy, not ever.

But it's worth it.

 _doesn't mean we shouldn't try_

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Easily by Bruno Major

365 - 80. Tough

1000 - 835. Lovers


	45. SteveTonyBucky 4

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonySteveBucky

 **Word Count** \- 6208

* * *

 **A Fool In Love**

* * *

Tony didn't really know how it happened. Or… he knew how it happened, but he didn't know why he kept letting it happen. The first time, it had been pity, or sympathy, or perhaps even empathy.

Tony knew what it felt like to need something to remind you that you were alive.

Sometimes Steve had nights when he was cold and nothing but physical touch would warm him up. Sure, that could be solved with a hug or a hand on his shoulder, or even lounging together in front of the TV, but after that first time, Steve just seemed to… expect it? Want it?

Regardless, they were having semi regular sex and Tony didn't really know how to feel about that.

He wouldn't turn Steve away. He couldn't, because he was a fool in love and to turn Steve away would hurt himself far more than it would the super soldier.

So when Steve came to him, shivering with imagined cold and a haunted look in his eyes, Tony didn't even try and pretend that he didn't know what Steve wanted.

Of course he knew.

He just wished he could believe it was more.

…

"Did you hear the news?"

Tony raised his eyebrow at Clint, crossing the kitchen to the coffee maker.

"Barnes, you know, Cap's old compadre? He's alive and kicking."

Tony blinked. "No. No I _didn't_ hear that. Is that why Cap hasn't been around the tower lately?"

The knowing look in Clint's eyes made Tony uncomfortable. He hated to feel like his practiced nonchalance was wasted.

"Uh huh. So I've heard it, Barnes broke Hydra conditioning to reconnect with Cap, and the two of them have been off, erm, _reconnecting,_ if you know what I mean."

Tony snorted, hoping the sound would cover the noise of his heart _breaking into tiny pieces._

"Well, good for them. That'll be a love story for the ages, won't it?"

He grabbed his coffee mug and raised it slightly to Clint before he left the kitchen to escape back to his lab where he could break down in his own comfort and privacy.

…

Tony did what Tony did best.

He avoided.

Steve returned to the tower, full of life and beaming happiness, Bucky in tow looking uncertain but hopeful of a home with the Avengers.

Tony couldn't… well, he certainly wasn't going to be the one to tell Steve and Bucky no, was he?

He could only imagine the hurt on Steve's face if Tony dared say that his long lost love wasn't allowed to move into the tower. Even if Tony had the right to do that, he didn't have the heart for it.

So he hid away, and he buried himself in work and he pretended that he was fine.

Tony was good at pretending, or at least he liked to tell himself that.

Clint, Nat and Bruce were there for him, always ready with a soft cuddle or a kiss to the cheek, or even just for him to sit with in the communal areas and watch movies. Bruce was always willing to distract Tony with science, and Clint even offered to teach Tony to shoot with the bow and arrow on the shooting range.

He knew he was failing at pretending he was fine, but at least they were kind enough to not actually say anything. Steve was so oblivious to anything outside of his Bucky-Bubble that he clearly didn't notice anything, so it all worked out fine.

Steve was happy and Tony wanted that for him.

Even if it couldn't be with Tony.

…

"Tony?"

Tony looked away from the coffee machine with confused, bloodshot eyes. "Hmm?"

"Are you… alright?"

Tony just frowned and turned his attention back to the coffee machine, which had finally, _finally,_ filled his cup with the caffeine-y goodness that would make his brain work again.

Seriously, who decided that sleep needed to be a thing anyway? Tony was doing just fine without it!

He drank the first cup full in one long gulp, ignoring the heat, and then placed his cup back under the machine. Only when he had a second cup full did he turn back to look at Steve.

"I'm fine, Cap, how are you?"

"When did you last sleep," Steve asked, his brow furrowing with concern as he stepped closer.

Tony swerved away from him smoothly, putting himself closer to the elevators.

"Not really sure what that's got to do with anything," Tony replied cheerfully. "If you don't mind, I'm going to head back to work. Things to see, people to build, you know how it goes."

"Think you mean that the other way around," Steve murmured, looking fondly amused.

The look on his face made Tony's heart _ache_.

He lifted his cup in salute and made his way towards the elevators, only to be called back seconds before he made his escape.

"Oh, hey, Buck is having a few issues with his arm, it's okay if I send him down for you to have a look at it, right?"

Excuses of being busy were on the tip of Tony's tongue when he made the mistake of looking up and seeing the hopeful look on Steve's face.

"I… sure, Cap. Send him down whenever and I'll make some time."

Tony stepped into the elevator before Steve could say anymore and Jarvis closed the doors and took him down to his lab.

"Any chance Pep need's me to go to Japan, J?" he asked, as he entered the lab and the doors closed behind him.

"Unlikely, I'm afraid, Sir," Jarvis replied.

Tony smiled sadly. "Thought not. Ah well, pull up the last schematics we were going over J, and put some music on, eh? I'd rather not be able to hear my own thoughts at the moment."

…

"Hi."

Tony startled and turned around to see Barnes standing by the door to the workshop, looking decidedly awkward.

"Uh. Hi?"

"Stevie said to… he said you could maybe look at my arm? It's been hurting for a few days and—"

"Right," Tony interrupted. "I, yeah. Erm. Come in and make yourself comfortable, and I'll be with you in a few minutes."

He waved absently at the sofa and turned back to the hologram he'd been working on. He assumed Barnes did as Tony had told him to do but he didn't actually look and see. When he'd finally finished up with what he was doing, he stretched his back and then turned to look at Barnes, only to find him fast asleep.

"Huh. How long has it been since he got here, J?"

"Half an hour, Sir."

Tony nodded, and stood up. "Tell Cap his bud is asleep down here and to come get him, would you, J? I'm heading out. And ask Bruce to take a look at Barnes' arm. He should be able to fix it."

"Sir—"

Tony shook his head and JARVIS fell silent, wrapping the suit around Tony instead. Tony wasn't sure what it was about Barnes falling asleep in his lab that had sent all of his nerves on edge, but he didn't _like_ it.

He initiated the blasters and left the garage through the Iron Man shoot he'd built in so he had a direct exit for the suit from the lab, and as soon as he was up in the air, spinning up to the sky, he felt better. Maybe he should go and see Rhodey for a while?

It'd been a while since he'd updated the War Machine armour and it would give him an excuse to just… not be at the tower for a little while.

Win win, really.

…

"So, are you going to tell me what you're hiding from?" Rhodey asked.

The two of them were slumped on the sofa, Tony's head resting against Rhodey's shoulder. He'd been there for three days, and he'd had numerous calls from the team. He'd had JARVIS relay the message that he was fine, just busy with Rhodes, and he'd be back before they knew it.

He just needed to… not, for a while. With any of it.

He butted Rhodey's shoulder with a whine.

"Tones," Rhodey murmured. "Tell me what's going on."

Tony closed his eyes for a minute. "Steve brought Barnes back to the tower, I think I told you that?"

Rhodey nodded to confirm he had.

"Well, it turns out, that while I'm super happy for him to have his long lost love back… it kinda hurts to actually… see it. It just… we didn't even have a conversation. He just… stopped coming to see me because he had Barnes back and I… I deserved a conversation, didn't I?"

Rhodey wrapped his arm around Tony. "You deserve so much more than that, Tones. I'm gonna come kick his ass."

Tony snorted. "You're gonna kick Captain America's ass?"

Rhodey grumbled and shook his head. "No, I'm gonna kick Steve Rogers' ass for hurting my best friend."

Shaking his head, Tony just burrowed closer. "Noooo. It's not… his fault. I get it, I really do. He and Barnes are a romance from the story books and that's all… fine. I just… needed to not see it for a little while."

Arms tightening, Rhodey pulled Tony closer. "You can stay with me for as long as you want, Tones."

…

Returning to the tower wasn't easy, but the break had done Tony good. He'd been away for almost two weeks, and having some time for just himself and with Rhodey had been wonderful. He'd even managed to get some sleep, with Rhodey curled around him to keep away the nightmares.

"We were getting ready to send a search party out for you!" Clint called, when Tony stepped out of the elevator.

The whole team were gathered on the sofas, and Tony looked over them all, a small smile on his face. "You miss me, Merida?"

Clint pouted exaggeratedly and nodded, making grabby hands at Tony.

Tony laughed and dropped onto the sofa between him and Nat, leaning against Clint happily. Clint cuddled him tightly and rested his chin on Tony's shoulder.

"You feeling better?" he asked, tone low and for Tony's ears only.

Tony turned and nuzzled Clints cheek. "I am."

Nat patted her legs for Tony to get comfier and he grinned at her. As much as he'd enjoyed his time with Rhodey, this was home too, surrounded by his team. Clint and Natasha had been there for him through the whole thing with Steve, and he was more grateful to the pair of them than he could ever verbalise.

Luckily, them being super-sneaky-spies, they seemed to know without him having to find the words.

"It's good to see you back, Tones," Bruce said from the armchair he was sitting in, smiling over at the three of them. "Especially since you look like you actually got some sleep while you were away."

"You've not been sleeping?" Steve asked, before Tony could reply. "Why not? Is something wrong?"

Tony twisted himself so he could look at the super soldiers sitting on the loveseat. "Everything is fine, Cap. Just regularly scheduled insomnia, nothing to worry about."

Steve nodded, but he was still frowning. "Did you have a good time with Colonel Rhodes?"

"I always have a good time with my Honeybear."

Tony turned to the screen and snuggled himself further into Clint and Nat. He wasn't lying, he was feeling a little better about the situation, but seeing them together… that pain wasn't just going to go away.

…

"You left because I fell asleep here?" Barnes asked the following day.

Tony jumped and put a hand over the reactor as he turned to look at Barnes. "I'm going to order bells for the lot of you, Jesus, I have a heart condition dammit!"

Barnes looked sheepishly apologetic and ducked his head. The blush most certainly wasn't charming at all, Tony told himself firmly.

"But, no, I didn't leave because you fell asleep. It just so happened that you were asleep when I decided. You looked like you needed it so I didn't wanna wake you up. Bruce fixed you up though, right?"

"He said it was a temporary fix," Barnes said, shrugging. "He said you'd want to see the scans and you'd see what he was talking about."

Tony nodded thoughtfully. "I'll have a look at them when I go down to the workshop. It's not hurting at the moment, right?"

Barnes shook his head. "No. It's… okay."

"Alright, well, great talk and all but—"

"Do you not want me here?"

Tony blinked. "If I didn't want you here, I wouldn't have said Cap could bring you, would I?" he hedged.

Barnes slumped against the counter and nodded.

Tony left the kitchen, feeling slightly wrongfooted. He had no idea what was going through Barnes' head. Then again, he supposed he could see why the man thought it was his fault that Tony had left.

…

The scans of Barnes' arm were a _mess._

"This is a goddamn travesty!" Tony raged, gesturing wildly at the holograms. "They can't even call this mess technology, goddamn heathens! It's offensive; I'm actually offended."

Bruce chuckled. "I figured you'd want to see them for yourself. Think you can fix it?"

"Fix it?" Tony asked, horrified. "It needs _melting._ No, I'm not touching that, I'm offended it's even in my tower."

"You… you're just gonna leave it?"

Tony frowned. "No. What part of 'I'm offended it's in my tower' didn't you get, Brucie Babe? I'm gonna build him a new one."

Bruce blinked. "Of course you are."

"I'm gonna need you for the connections, and that connection port is ridiculous as well, so we'll have to contact Helen and see if she can help with that because the nerve damage is horrific."

"You, uh, might wanna speak to the owner of the arm before you make plans, Tones. He might not _want_ a new arm."

Tony stared. "Right. I… should do that. Unless… you could ask him?"

Bruce chuckled. "It would be better coming from you, since you're the one that's going to be making it."

"Ehhhh, but he always looks like I killed his puppy when I speak to him and it makes me feel bad even though I don't actually know what I'm supposed to have done."

"Pretty sure he still thinks he forced you to leave."

Tony rolled his eyes. "I haven't got time to repeat myself every time I have a conversation with him, Brucie, how do I fix it?"

"Well. Maybe if you stop avoiding him and Steve… that could help?" Bruce suggested softly. "Although, if it's making it easier for you to not be around them…" he trailed off and shrugged. "Just, they'll get over it. If it's better for you to avoid, then you avoid them, okay?"

Tony sighed and rubbed his hand over his face. Then he looked back at the holographic scan and pouted. "I will _not_ have that mess in _my_ tower, Brucie. I'll just… pull on my big boy pants and deal. It'll be fine. It's all fine."

…

"So… your arm is an offence to technology and I want to build you a new one," Tony said in greeting as he stepped into the gym. Steve and Barnes were on the treadmills, since the rain outside had put them off going on their usual run.

Barnes stumbled, and almost fell off the treadmill before he gained his footing and stepped onto the sides. Tony tried to hold his laughter, he really, really did, but a little snort escaped and he bit his lip awkwardly.

Steve chucked, breaking the awkward silence.

"Um, okay?" Barnes said. "What's… wrong with it?"

"It would be so much easier to say what's right with it, cause then we could just sit in silence," Tony groused. "This is why Brucie only did a temporary fix. He knew what my reaction was going to be. But, well, it's a big job and it'll mean a lot of time in the lab for you, and also we'll have to fetch in Helen Cho to work on the nerve connections with me and the housing on your shoulder and—"

"Breathe, Tony," Steve interrupted fondly.

"I, uh, whatever you think is best?" Barnes offered. "I, uh, will I have to be put to sleep, because I don't—"

Tony shook his head. "If you don't want to be put to sleep, we can do…. Well, the housing would be a little awkward but we can work around it. I'll speak to Helen about it when I call her, and… we can work around anything that might… trigger you."

"Aren't you too busy for this?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "If I didn't do anything I was too busy for, nothing would ever get done. So, I'll speak with Helen and then… you could come to the lab later so I can get a better look at the housing and scan both of your arms so we can get the proportions down on paper at least."

Barnes nodded. "Can, uh, Stevie come with me?"

Tony frowned. "Sure? I… I'm not gonna hurt you, you know?"

Blushing furiously, Barnes replied, "last time I came to your lab you left for two weeks. I… don't want that to happen again."

Tony threw his hands in the air and turned around, heading back towards the door. "I've told you that wasn't your fault, Barnes," he called over his shoulder. "I'll have JARVIS send for you when I'm ready."

…

Tony took the scans he needed and sent them to Helen. Until she looked at them and let him know what could be done with the arm housing, they couldn't go any further, so Tony managed to make some headway in his backlog of projects.

He even showed up for a day of meetings, which made Pepper smile that little smile that she'd always saved just for Tony when he did something she liked.

When he got home, tired but happy, it was to find Rhodey sitting in the armchair that Bruce usually occupied.

"Sour Patch!" he greeted happily, flopping down across his lap to burrow against him. "I missed you!"

"Rude," Clint complained. "You're all cuddles with me until Rhodey turns up and then I turn into the invisible man."

Tony raised his arms and made grabby hands at Clint. Rhodey groaned as Clint grinned and joined them on the chair.

"Puppy pile!" Tony announced, making Nat and Clint laugh.

"How about we puppy pile on the sofa," Rhodey wheezed out. "So I'm not squashed dead."

Tony nodded eagerly, and they moved themselves to the sofa, all four of them tangling up together.

That was how Steve and Bucky found them, an hour later, with Clint and Tony throwing popcorn at the tv.

"Colonel Rhodes," Steve greeted with a nod. "I don't think you've met Buck?"

"Cap," Rhodey replied flatly. "Barnes."

"I'm glad you're here," Tony said, pointing at Barnes. "I need another scan of your flesh arm. You got ten to do it now, before we start another movie?"

Bucky nodded, and Tony wiggled his way out of the tangle of limbs. Pointing at Clint, he said, "do not steal my space." Clint made a kissy noise at him. Tony pointed at Rhodey. "And you, behave yourself."

"Don't know what you're talking about, Tones," Rhodey replied, swatting at him.

"Uh huh. Come on, Barnes. The rest of you should be productive and order some food while we're gone. Pepper is a slavedriver and hasn't fed me all day, I'm starving."

The elevator had barely closed before Rhodey was sitting up properly and turning his attention to Steve. Clint and Nat shared a look before they sat back to watch. They loved all of their team, Steve included, but everyone agreed that Steve hadn't gone about any of this in the right way.

"I don't care if you're happy now that you've got Barnes back, if you ever hurt Tones again, I will end you, do I make myself clear, Rogers?"

Steve blinked. "What?"

"You heard me," Rhodey snapped. "You might have just been using Tones to warm your bed, but you could have at least had a conversation with him when you came back to the tower. You discarded him and you didn't even have the decency to speak to him about it.

"Tones is a better person than me, because he's just happy you're happy. Personally, my _only_ priority here is Tony, so _tread carefully,_ Captain, because I am _watching_ you."

Steve nodded, ashen. "I. I meant to talk to him, I swear. I just… I guess I got distracted and then… I just didn't. I… I fucked up, didn't I?"

Rhodey quirked an eyebrow and didn't reply. He turned his attention to JARVIS and fell into conversation with Nat about what they should eat.

Steve was quiet for the rest of the night, even when Tony and Bucky returned. Tony cast suspicious looks at Rhodey occasionally, but Rhodey just wrinkled his nose and nodded back to the tv.

…

"I fucked up, Buck."

Bucky turned on his side to look at Steve. They were laying in bed together in silence.

"Are you finally going to tell me what happened when I was with Tony in the lab last night?"

"You know before I found you that Tony and I had a… thing?"

"Uh huh."

"Well, I didn't speak to him after. After I got you back, or… well, even when I was looking for you. I kept meaning to, but then I'd get distracted and then I just… forgot about it, and I never actually spoke to him and—"

"Jesus, Stevie," Bucky groaned. "No wonder Rhodes was looking at us like we'd kicked a puppy! You know you've gotta speak to Tony, don't you?"

"I, yeah, of course, I just… what am I supposed to say now?" Steve rubbed a hand over his face. "I messed this up so bad and I don't know how to fix it. How do I apologise for this?"

Bucky was silent for a moment. "Have you thought that maybe you didn't speak to him because you didn't _want_ to end whatever you two were doing?"

"What? No, Buck, you know I love you—"

"I'm not questioning that," Bucky said firmly. "I do know you love me, and I love you. I'm saying, maybe you love him too."

Steve stared up at the ceiling for a long moment. "I, no, I can't, I don't, do I?"

"Only you can answer that question, Stevie."

…

"Okay, so, we've figured out how to do this," Tony said, gesturing between himself, Helen and Bucky's shoulder. "We can keep you awake to take off the arm and put a new housing in place, and it shouldn't hurt. Between the painkillers we designed for Steve, and Helen's cradle, it should all be okay. But it does mean that you're going to be without an arm for about two weeks. Are you okay with that?"

Bucky nodded slowly. "I… yeah. I can do that."

Tony nodded. "Okay, well, we'll start making the preparations then. We'll start in," he looked at Helen. "A week?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "That should be doable."

Tony grinned, and then nodded to the holograms. "Alright, the fun stuff then. Colours, emblems, skin texture or metal… come and make some decisions, Barnes."

"I… you can… can you make it look real?" Barnes asked.

Tony could see the wistfulness in his eyes and knew he had a winner. "We can make it look relatively real," he replied. "Of course you'll be able to feel the difference, and a close examination would obviously show it as different, but… just in passing, it would look like a normal arm."

"That. Please."

Tony nodded. "Okay. Tattoos? They can be airbrushed on without any problem while it's being fabricated."

"I… can you add one of Stevie's designs?"

Tony nodded. "Sure can. Just fetch it down before Thursday and we can put it on wherever you want it."

"I… thank you, Tony. That's amazing. All of it, it's all amazing."

"You're good inspiration, Barnes."

…

"I… think I love him, Buck," Steve whispered, a few nights later. The two were cuddling on the sofa in their room. "I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to be sorry," Bucky replied quietly. "I get it… especially with him. He's a lovable guy."

"I… yeah. He is. Do you?"

"No," Bucky replied shaking his head. "But… I like him. And… I can see how easy it would be to fall in love with him."

Steve sighed. "Even if… even if you did, and we decided too… he's never going to trust me again, Buck. Not after what I did."

"He might, if you told him what happened," Bucky said softly. "I don't… what if he only wants you?"

"Oh, Buck," Steve murmured, tugging Bucky closer. "We do this together or not at all, okay?"

"And if he _doesn't_ want me?"

"Then we don't do it at all, I promise."

…

Steve and Barnes were acting weird and Tony didn't like it.

They were glowering at Clint whenever Tony joined him for a cuddle. They were always around, like even more than usual, and they were always asking Tony if he wanted to do things with them. It was _weird._

Not only that, but whenever Barnes came down to the workshop to see Tony about his arm, which was now fitted and in it's final stages of work, Steve was suddenly always along, like he didn't trust Tony with Barnes or something.

Sure, Tony thought Barnes was attractive—he's got eyes, okay—but that didn't mean that Tony didn't have any self control. Maybe Steve thought that because of their history that Tony was just… easy, or slutty or… Tony shook his head.

Whatever was going on with them, he didn't like it.

"Tony, do you want to—"

"No," Tony snapped. "I don't want to go to dinner with you, or watch a movie with you, or go to the _park_ with you! I don't know what the pair of you are up to, or why you've decided to try and fuck with me, but it stops now, do you understand me?"

He was glaring at them, and despite the size difference between him and two super soldiers, they seemed to wilt under his gaze.

They backed up and left the workshop with their heads down, and Tony huffed. "Lockdown, J."

"Yes, Sir."

…

"What did you two idiots do?"

Steve looked up from the table to see Nat leaning against the kitchen counter.

"Nothing," he replied, shaking his head. "It's… nothing."

"Did you even tell Tony you're sorry before you decided to try and woo him without actually telling him, or… did you just expect him to accept it and move on?"

Steve closed his eyes. Natasha sighed.

"Steve, at the moment, Tony thinks you don't value him as a human being. He thinks that you just used him as a warm body until Barnes was found and then you discarded him without even speaking to him. Now, when Barnes is in the workshop, you're always there too, and _I_ know that's because you want to be around him, but how do you think it looks to Tony?"

"Am I ever going to not fuck up where Tony's concerned?"

"You just need to learn to communicate with him, Steve. Tony needs directness, because he's a genius, but he's also insecure and a little clingy and a little needy and he takes things very personally. He's got no idea what the pair of you are up to with him at the moment, and you need to sit down with him and _talk."_

Steve nodded and squared his shoulders. Nat was right, and he should have done it before any of this started.

"Take Bucky with you," Nat added. "This includes him too, and Tony needs to see that with his own eyes. And for the love of all things holy, take it slow. Do not just jump into bed with him because he _will_ think you only want him for sex."

"Right… right, that's… thanks, Nat."

She nodded and then softened. "Be careful with him Steve. If this goes south, he's got a lot more to lose than you do."

Steve looked at her for a long moment, and he could see the worry in her eyes. He understood it, but it still hurt a little that she didn't completely trust him not to hurt Tony.

Not that he could blame her of course.

…

"Tony, have you got a minute?"

Tony turned around distractedly and then blinked when he saw the soldiers standing awkwardly by the door to the workshop. He hadn't seen them for a couple of days.

"Sure. What can I do for you?"

"Can we just… go eat and talk?" Steve suggested. "Please. I know I don't deserve to have you hear me out but… please Tony. Just… one meal and if you tell us to back off then, we will, I swear."

Tony frowned. "Erm. Is… this a conversation that can be public or… should I have JARVIS order something to the penthouse?"

"Actually, you could… come to our floor?" Bucky suggested. "I'll cook. Italian?"

"Sure," Tony replied, stretching the word unsurely. "What time?"

"Seven?"

Tony nodded. "You heard that, J."

"Yes, Sir."

"We'll leave you too it."

Tony nodded and turned back to his work until the door closed and then he dropped his head to the table.

"J, call Rhodey."

There was a dial tone, and then Rhodey's voice filled the room and Tony managed to push out a breath.

"Tones? What's wrong?"

"Steve and Bucky were just here," Tony said quietly. "They said they wanted to eat and talk, and Bucky's cooking and… why does it sound so date-y, Rhodey? I don't… I don't understand what they're doing!"

"Do you need me to come? I'll go in your place and kick them through the window if you want, Tones."

Tony snorted despite himself. "When did you get so violent? I swear you never used to be this violent."

"When super soldiers started fucking around with _my best friend,_ " Rhodey growled. "Do you want to go?"

"They said that they'll leave me alone after if I ask them too so… I think I should?"

"Okay. You call me straight after, you hear me?"

"I hear you."

"And if they hurt you, I will dead them."

"You can't dead Captain America, Honeybear. That's not a thing."

"I told you before, Tones. It's not Captain America I'm interested in. I can dead Steve Rogers."

Tony chuckled and the call ended, but he felt a little better. "Tell me when it's six, J, so I can get a shower and get changed."

…

Tony knocked on the door awkwardly at eight minutes past seven. Steve answered it almost before he'd taken his hand away, and he blinked at him for a moment before standing back to let him in. It was awkward until they sat down and Tony got a whiff of the pasta Bucky had cooked.

"That smells fantastic," he admitted.

Bucky smiled at him. "I like cooking."

They all seemed to settle a little bit, and soon, the three of them were sitting around a table laden with pasta, garlic bread and salad.

"So… first of all, I owe you an apology," Steve said, looking at Tony.

Tony looked back but didn't say anything.

"The way I behaved when I first found Bucky again was abhorrent. I honestly meant to sit down with you and talk, and then I didn't and I just kept on not doing it and… Tony, I have no excuse for that. I was awful to you, and honestly… it was the shittiest thing I could have done.

"I need you to know that you were never just an easy lay for me, or a warm body to fill my bed. I had, have, feelings for you, Tony, and… it was never just sex for me. When I found out about Bucky, I got so single minded, and it was wrong, and I'm so sorry for that."

Tony looked down at the bowl of pasta and sighed. While it was nice to finally be having the conversation they should have had months before, it was just too little too late. Tony didn't really know what he was supposed to—

"What do you mean, you have feelings for me?" he asked, looking back up as all of Steve's words finally registered in his mind.

"That was the other thing I, we, wanted to speak to you about. I realised, fairly recently, that I… I love you. And Buck… he really likes you too, Tony. We wanted… we wondered if… we'd like to date you. If that's something you'd like to do too."

Tony frowned and sat back in his seat.

"You could have saved this until after we'd eaten, Steve, he's lost his appetite now," Bucky said, trying to tease some lightness back into the room and failing dismally.

Tony sighed. "I… none of this makes sense."

"What doesn't make sense?"

"All of it," Tony said leaning forwards. "You don't have feelings for me, and you don't even know me!"

He gestured to them both respectively and then sat back again. "I don't need pity dates or pity sex because you feel bad that you didn't speak to me when we stopped having sex. I'm over it, it's fine. This… this isn't fine. This is playing with my emotions and it's not right!"

"Tony, were not lying to you," Bucky implored. "I can't, and I won't say I love you yet because I _won't_ lie to you, and you're right, I don't know you really well, but you can't say I don't know you. I know that you drink your coffee black the majority of the time but really you prefer it with a splash of milk and one sugar. I know that the only eat popcorn when Clint makes it, because he makes it exactly to your taste and nobody else can get it as right as he does. I know that when you have nightmares, you prefer Rhodes' company, but you'll also go to Bruce or Thor because they can both hold you properly until you stop shaking. I know that you love DUM-E, Butterfingers and U like they're your own children and I know that you worship the ground Pepper walks on. I know that you don't love Thai, but you'll eat it whenever Thor asks for it, and I know that you prefer no onions on your pizza, which is why you share with Nat instead of Clint when we have pizza nights. I know that you enjoy your time in your workshop almost all fo the time, but your favourite projects are the ones that you can draw Bruce into because you like to work with him."

Tony stared. And stared. And stared. "What the hell, Barnes! How do you know all of that?"

"Because I pay attention, Doll, in the same way that I can tell you all those things and more about Stevie. I won't call it love until I'm sure, but you can't say I'm not interested in you, Doll."

"Tony, I won't promise that this will work. We might go out a few times and you'll decide you're not interested in us, or you'll decide that you don't want us and that… that's okay too. You could walk away now and we wouldn't think any less of you. If you just want to be friends, we'll accept that," Steve said earnestly. "But please don't say no because you doubt our sincerity, or think it's pity because it's the furthest thing from that."

Tony fiddled with the edge of his shirt. He didn't know what to say to them. He wanted them, both of them, to mean what they were saying, but he wasn't sure he could trust them.

Not with this. Not with his heart.

"I'm not sleeping with you," he murmured.

"We'll wait as long as it takes," Bucky said softly. "And if you never want that, then that's okay too. Okay?"

Tony nodded once. "Okay. I. Okay. Slowly."

They both smiled gently at him, and Steve reached out to squeeze his hand. Tony allowed the contact and even managed to return the smile.

"Think you could eat some more, Doll?" Bucky asked, nodding to the bowl. "I'll get you some fresh if that's gone cold."

"It's… it's fine. Still warm," Tony replied after testing it. "It really is good. Where did you learn to cook like this?"

Bucky smiled, and the conversation went from there. It was stilted at moments, and they stumbled a few times, but it was fine. Good even.

Tony knew he was taking a chance, knew that he might regret it down the road, but… when they each kissed his cheek when it was time for him to leave, he though, just maybe, it would be worth it.

He was still a fool in love, but maybe, fools could be happy too.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Marvel

Gym, Easy - Battle Ropes, Marvel

365 - 82. Inspiration

1000 - 588. Sofa


	46. TonySteve 12

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonySteve

 **Word Count** \- 1155

* * *

 **True Love's Kiss**

* * *

The mission was routine, until it wasn't.

Steve saw Tony falling through the air, but he couldn't get to him fast enough. Thor caught him, thankfully, before he could hit the ground, and he stayed with Tony while the others finished the fight.

"I hate magic," Sam grumbled, as they made their way through the streets of New York to where Thor was waiting.

"Is Tony okay?" Bucky asked, as soon as they were within hearing distance of the demigod. It was JARVIS that answered, his voice tinny as it echoed from the suit.

"Sir is physically fine, except he has fallen into what I believe is an enchanted slumber, and I cannot wake him."

Steve blinked. "You… you're sure he's just asleep, JARVIS?"

"Yes, Captain. Sir is just sleeping, but as I said, I cannot wake him. It is not an occurrence that has ever happened before. Sir is usually an exceptionally light sleeper."

"Thor, can you carry him in the suit onto the jet. I'd rather not take him out of the suit here, he'd had a fit if we accidentally left even a screw behind."

"Aye," Thor agreed. He cradled Tony easily, lifting him as though he weighed nothing, even in the suit, and walked onto the jet, the rest of the team behind him.

"I hate magic," Bucky muttered, as he sat down beside Steve in the jet. His eyes were on Tony, laid out across the cot they kept in case of field injuries.

"That's what I said!" Sam said, taking his own seat. "And why is it always Tony?"

Bruce snorted.

…

"It's like a twisted version of Snow White, but without the apple," Sam mumbled. The team stood around Tony's bed, staring at the sleeping man. He was a little pale, but JARVIS assured them that his vitals were all solid and he was perfectly fine—except for being in an enchanted sleep, obviously.

"It's the weirdest thing, to see him so… still," Clint whispered.

Natasha nodded and sighed. "Come on, let's… we shouldn't all stand around staring. He'd be mortified if he woke up to this. JARVIS will let us know if anything changes, right JARVIS?"

"Of course, Miss Romanoff."

They all nodded and trooped out of the room, leaving only Steve behind. "We'll find a way to fix this, Tony. I promise."

…

Bruce contacted Strange as soon as he could, and the day after the battle, the sorcerer portalled in to the tower.

He examined Tony carefully before returning to the team. "I believe he's been placed under a love spell. Think Sleeping Beauty, with less needles."

"I'll… call Miss Potts," Steve said, nodding. He ignored the brief stabbing pain in his chest at the thought of Pepper and Tony realising they were truly meant to be.. "If anyone is Tony's true love, it's her, right?"

"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Nat commented quietly. "Her and Tony broke up months ago, and he's been okay lately. I mean, try for sure, but don't be surprised if it doesn't work."

Steve sighed. Maybe he should call Colonel Rhodes in too, just in case.

…

Pepper didn't wake Tony. Neither did Rhodey, though he giggled every time he looked at Tony.

"This would have been his dream in college," Rhodey sniggered, sitting at the bedside. "All the pretty people kissing him."

Sam snorted, and Clint looked thoughtful. "You know—"

"No," Nat said flatly.

"You didn't even hear what I—"

"No."

"Spoilsport."

"So… I hate to be the one to point this out, but we're the next likely people to be his true love," Sam said, pointing amongst them.

"Pucker up, bitches," Clint cackled.

…

Steve sat at Tony's bedside. It was the middle of the night, but he'd been unable to sleep knowing Tony was up here alone. Even if he was sleeping, it just didn't feel right to leave him while he was vulnerable.

And… maybe Steve enjoyed seeing him look so peaceful and relaxed.

When Tony was awake, he was loud and bright and just… so alive and defiant and sassy. He was sweet and generous and kind. He was arrogant and obnoxious and…

Tony was everything, all in one perfectly made package.

Watching the others kiss Tony earlier had been… an experience Steve truly never wanted to repeat. He'd avoided it himself, because the last thing he'd needed was an audience when it was proved he wasn't Tony's one true love, but even now, alone in the room, he was hesitant to lay his lips over Tony's.

He just… didn't want to face the disappointment.

Pretending probably wasn't the healthiest option, but it was the kindest.

He took a deep breath and then leant over the bed, pressing his lips gently to Tony's. When he pulled back, there was no change, and Steve put his head down, letting his chin rest against his chest.

Movement caught his eye, and he looked up in time to see Tony's hand clench. When he looked at Tony's face, it was to see his eyelids twitching.

Tony blinked his eyes open slowly. He stretched, and then blinked again when his eyes fell on Steve.

"Uh… hi?"

Steve snorted. "Hi."

"Uh… what happened? Is everyone okay?"

Steve nodded. "Everyone is fine. You, uh, you got hit with some kind of spell—"

"Hate magic," Tony muttered.

"You and everyone else," Steve agreed. "It was a love spell. You… you know the story of sleeping beauty? With the sleeping and the kissing and the—"

"Are you shitting me right now?" Tony asked, frowning. "Did anyone kiss me?"

"Well. Pepper and Rhodes, the team—"

"And I missed it? Rude. So, how am I awake now?"

"Well. I mean. I just kissed you so…"

Tony stared at him. And then stared some more. Just when Steve was about to get up and leave the room, Tony's brow furrowed. "What's the punchline?"

Steve blinked. "What?"

"What's the… you can't be my one true love. You're… you. And I'm me. And the leagues are so far apart they're in two different fucking dimensions."

Steve felt the hurt like a hammer blow to his chest, and he was about to leave when he took in the look on Tony's face. And then he realised that while Tony's tongue was sharp, he genuinely wasn't a cruel man, especially not to people he cared about and Steve knew he cared about everyone on the team.

While Tony wasn't exactly known as a modest man, Steve was aware that his insecurities actually run pretty deep.

"Tony… you're an idiot."

Tony squawked wordlessly in protest, but Steve leant forward and kissed him again, cupping his cheek gently.

"I love you," he murmured as he pulled back. "I've loved you for… so long, Tony."

"I… shit, Steve. I didn't think… I love you too, obviously, I just… I thought—"

"Like I said," Steve murmured with a smile. "You're an idiot."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Sleeping Beauty

Gym - Shoulder Press Machine - Defiant

365 - 84. Modest

1000 - 704. Past tense


	47. TonyBucky 5

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges at the bottom**

 **Pairing** \- TonyBucky

 **Word Count** \- 1619

* * *

 **in this universe, I only want to kiss you**

* * *

"So, this is…"

"Our lives in the other universes," Tony replied with a nod. "For once, Reed stumbled across something cool instead of, you know, stupidity."

Bruce snorted. "And how long do we have access to this?" he asked, waving at the mirror.

"Uh. Until we're done?" Tony replied, shrugging. "Once we've looked our fill, I'll destroy it, I guess."

"Destroy it?" Steve asked, frowning. "Why would you destroy it?"

"Because it shouldn't exist," Bruce said quietly. "And while Tony's right, it'd be a shame to not look, it's also dangerous."

"So. Access to the multiverse?" Clint said, eyes on the mirror. "This is sci-fi level shit that I'm down for."

Tony tapped a complicated looking sequence onto the golden frame around the mirror.

"As far as I can tell, it shows the person who's controlling the mirror themselves in another universe, so I'll teach you how to do it and everyone can have a look?"

The team nodded their agreement, and after a moment of arguing who would get the drinks and snacks—always Steve, Tony didn't know why he still argued about it when everyone knew he'd give in—they settled on the sofa's.

The mirror flashed into life, and it was like watching tv. On the mirror, Tony was arguing with Steve, waving a tomato around.

"Are you actually going to have this argument with me in every universe?"

"It's a vegetable," Tony said flatly.

"It's a fruit," Steve replied, rolling his eyes.

"I put tomatoes in my _salad._ I do not put them in my fruit bowls. Ergo, is a vegetable."

"No," Steve replied.

"Steve."

"No."

"Oh my god, you guys literally just had the same argument, _verbatim_ , as the two of you in the other universe," Clint said, laughing.

Tony turned to the mirror and then swallowed hard. Glancing at Steve, he noticed the flush building on his cheeks and neck.

"He, uh, doesn't shut you up like that in this universe though," Clint choked out. He was red in the face too, but Tony suspected that was from the exertion of holding back a flood of laughter.

The rest of the team seemed to be in between laughing and being quite disturbed. Bucky in particular looked a little green around the gills though, given the way he'd been looking at Tony lately, that wasn't entirely unexpected.

Tony flicked the frame, and the images of him and Steve kissing rather… heatedly in the kitchen disappeared, only to be replaced by one of Tony and Pepper.

Tony smiled automatically at the sight of Pepper smiling. It was a sight he loved to see, and he suspected that would never change.

They were at a gala of some sort, though which one Tony had no idea. Pepper looked beautiful in forest green, and the tie Tony was wearing made him suspect that the two of them were still very much together.

He felt a little wistfulness at the sight; he'd have done anything to make her happy, except the one thing she wanted.

Give up Iron Man.

"So… you two are still together in this one?" Natasha said softly. She was looking at Tony with understanding in her eyes, and he smiled at her.

"Apparently," he agreed, as the Tony on the screen kissed Pepper's nose.

"Why did you break up?" Bucky asked quietly.

"We wanted different things," Tony replied with a shrug.

"But you look so happy together."

"Maybe that Tony was never Iron Man," Clint said softly.

Tony nodded and flicked the screen again. In turn, he saw himself with Clint, Natasha, Steve again, Pepper again, _Coulson,_ which… okay not a thing but whatever, and Bruce. He saw himself in the suit getting blown up, saw himself old and grey, bouncing a baby on his knee with a smile on his face, saw himself standing beside a gravestone that he didn't read the name of, and saw himself in a boardroom.

It was strange, seeing himself over and over with people and in situations he had no memory of.

The whole time, he kept glancing at Bucky. He looked uneasy towards the beginning, but as Tony offered the mirror up for the others to look, he looked downright miserable. Tony thought he knew what the problem was, but he didn't want to bring the other's attention to Bucky, so he sat on his thoughts for a moment while he taught Clint how to control the mirror.

When Clint was ready, Tony perched himself on the arm of Bucky's chair. He let his hand rest against the back of Bucky's head and swirled the loose hair around his fingers. Bucky stiffened for a moment and then _melted_ into the touch.

They watched Clint, and then Natasha, Bruce and even Steve was bullied into taking a turn.

"What about you, Buck?" Steve asked.

Bucky shook his head. "I… don't wanna know what other me's are doing in the multiverse," he muttered darkly.

Steve's eyes widened apologetically, and Tony gently squeezed the back of Bucky's neck comfortingly.

"Brucie, you gonna help me dispose of this?" Tony asked, getting up from his perch.

Bruce nodded, and the two of them left, the mirror carried delicately between them.

…

"So, what was up with Barnes?" Bruce asked, as they cleaned up.

"Hmm?"

"He looked like he was going to vomit when you and Steve were on the mirror together. I didn't know the two of you were… involved?"

"We're not," Tony replied. "But… the interest is there. I think."

"You think?"

"I think," Tony repeated. "I just… didn't really plan to do much about it, you know? I've already proved I'm not great at relationships, Bruce. If I couldn't make Pep happy, even though she's known me for many, _many,_ years, I probably wouldn't do any better with anyone else. And then there's the fact that he's Cap's best friend, and the two of us have been getting on well lately. I don't wanna fuck with the team dynamic when we're all finally settled in."

Bruce stared at him for a minute. "I think I just watched you become an adult," he said, and Tony rolled his eyes. Bruce grinned but then continued. "I think maybe you don't have to worry so much about being bad at relationships. Sure, it didn't work out between you and Pepper, but Tony, she's still one of your best friends. She just couldn't bring herself to sit around while you were out risking your life. You wouldn't have to worry about that with Bucky; he'd be out there with you."

"And the team?"

"Would be happy if you were both happy, and honestly? It's nobody else's business."

Tony nodded. "I know. I do. I just… He's been through enough. I don't want to hurt him."

"You won't."

…

"Hey you," Tony murmured, slumping into the empty seat beside Bucky. The team had decided to procrastinate their reports as a team and watch a movie instead.

Tony was bone tired, having gone into battle after no sleep, and if he was honest, he'd been tempted to just swerve the movie. The look Natasha had given him had convinced him that it would be in his best interest to join them.

He leant into Bucky's warmth, leaving no room between them. Bucky raised his arm for Tony to settle closer into his side, and wrapped it around his shoulders.

"You shoulda headed up to bed, Doll."

"And miss movie night? Sacrilegious."

Bucky snorted. Steve settled on Tony's other side, and JARVIS lowered the lights in the room and started the movie. Tony fought to keep his eyes open, he really did, but it was futile. He was asleep before the first dinosaur roared.

…

"You should just ask him out, Buck."

"What if he doesn't—"

"He does," Steve replied firmly. "The fact that he fell asleep on you says everything, Buck. Tony doesn't trust easily, and he let himself be _vulnerable_ with you."

"Doesn't mean he wants to _date_ me, does it?"

"I do," Tony slurred, blinking hazily. "That. Dating thing. Sounds—" he was cut off by a yawn. "Sounds good. When I'm awake."

Steve laughed. "That's my cue to leave. I'll see you both in the morning."

Tony waved sleepily, but Bucky ignored him, his eyes on Tony's face.

"You think you can get yourself up to bed, Doll?" he asked, stroking a finger over Tony's cheek. "You should sleep some more."

"Sure I can," Tony replied, though he sounded doubtful even to himself. He pushed himself up and stood, only stumbling a little. "That date thing, you should come see me about that tomorrow."

"Yeah?"

"Oh yeah. Dating is good. And kissing. We can do the kissing if we do the dating, right?"

"Yeah, Tony. We can do the kissing. Go to bed."

"Yeah. I… you know, in this universe… I don't wanna kiss anyone else on the team, right? Or Pep. Just you. I just wanna kiss you."

Bucky blinked, and then he leant forward and pressed a gently kiss to Tony's cheek. "Good. Go to bed."

Tony nodded with a small smile and tripped his way to the elevator. When he turned around, he could see Bucky watching him with a smile on his face.

They'd have to talk, Tony knew. When Tony was slightly more conscious, maybe even over dinner. It'd be nice. And, after they talked, there'd be kissing.

Kissing Bucky sounded like a good time.

JARVIS directed Tony to his bedroom easily, and Tony crawled between the sheets. He was out like a light as soon as his head hit the pillow.

And in his dreams, he got a sneak peak of what it would be like to kiss Bucky.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Iron Man

365 - 85. Vegetable

1000 - 264. "But you look so happy together!"


	48. TonySteve 13

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonySteve

 **Word Count** \- 1213

* * *

 **Life Is Infinitely Better Than A Fairy Tale**

* * *

"You've got to be fucking kidding me with this," Tony muttered, rubbing a hand over his face. Staring at the winding lane up to the dark, imposing tower, he shook his head. "This is the most ridiculous thing I've ever done."

"Are you sure?"

Tony stared at the _horse_ that had just spoken. The horse that had a very strange looking silver leg that was very much not the same as the rest of the coarse brown coat.

"Barnes?"

"I mean… at least you're still a human, right?"

"Oh. My. God."

"Can we just get on with this," Bucky muttered, shaking out his mane. "Hop on."

"Steve is gonna be fuming when he hears about me riding you, fair warning."

"Uh huh. Well, since we're going to save his ass, he'll get over it."

Tony nodded, because admittedly that was a good point. He settled himself on Barnes back and squeezed his knees slightly. "Go ahead then. Giddy the fuck up."

The plus to Bucky being a horse was the speed in which they made it to the bottom of the tower.

"Steve?" Tony called from the base of the tower. Sure enough, Steve popped his head out of the window.

"Tony? Oh thank god. Do you know what's going on?"

"Have you got really long hair, by chance?" Tony asked, his tone dry. Even from the ground he could see the pink staining Steve's cheeks.

"Uh. Yeah."

"Tony nodded. "Of course you do. Well, let your hair down, Rapunzel. It's a really fucking good job you're not headsore, cause this shit sucks."

Tony climbed the long plait carefully, trying his hardest to be gentle but knowing that either way this had to be hurting Steve, super soldier or not.

Eventually, he reached the top and climbed into the small room.

"Rapunzel. And I thought I'd seen everything," Tony said, shaking his head.

Steve pressed a soft kiss to Tony's lips. "Thank you for coming to get me."

"Uh huh. I'll always come and get you, you know that. Even if it means I've gotta ride Barnes to go it."

"What?" Steve squawked, but before Tony could reply, there was a flash, and then darkness.

…

"Of course I'm the one with the cape."

Tony frowned at the red cape resting around his shoulders and sighed. Right. Red Riding Hood. Wolf. Huntsman. This would be fun, but hopefully, it wouldn't be a long walk. He was already over the spell and it was only the second fairytale.

Hopefully, Thor was working on wrangling Loki into releasing them from this hell.

He walked through the woods, listening out for any sign of movement. A few times, he caught a flash from the corner of his eyes, but when he looked, there was nothing to be found.

Eventually he happened upon a cottage and pushed the door open. What he found inside had him chewing his lip to stop himself from laughing.

"I am not playing the game with you," he spluttered eventually.

Bucky grimaced. "Why do I keep getting the short end of the stick here?" he grumbled.

"You're wearing a _bonnet,_ " Tony cackled, unable to hold his mirth in.

"You know, I wouldn't mind taking a chunk out of you if it'd shut you up," Bucky replied, baring his teeth menacingly.

"Oh, Buckster, what big teeth you have," Tony cooed.

That seemed to be Steve's cue, since he burst into the cottage with an axe at the ready, he stopped and blinked when he caught sight of Tony and Bucky, and seconds later, he was chuckling too, the axe swinging uselessly by his side.

Bucky just glared at him.

"You okay, babe?" Steve asked, tugging at the red cape around Tony's shoulders.

"Peachy," Tony agreed, stretching up to kiss Steve. "My hero."

There was a flash, and there was darkness, and there was an echo of Tony saying, "for fuck's sake, not again."

…

"Well, this is a slight improvement," Bucky commented, looking down at the rich clothes on his body.

Steve glanced at him and nodded. "Sure thing. Why am I wearing coattails?"

"Pretty sure you're meant to be the Prince this time, Stevie."

"Of course I am," Steve replied, rolling his eyes. "Any idea what fairytale we're in?"

"Well, seeing as Clint, Nat and Sam are all fast asleep over there, I'd say we're in Sleeping Beauty. Which is ironic as fuck and I kinda dig it."

Steve frowned. "Ironic?"

"When does Tony ever sleep?"

Snorting, Steve nodded. "Point."

"I'm gonna stick down here with this lot," Bucky said, nodding to the other members of their team. They should wake up when Tony does, right? Maybe they'll have something that can help us."

"Good idea," Steve agreed. He squeezed Bucky's shoulder and then made his way up the stairs. He amused himself with the thought of their situations being reversed and how Tony would bitch about the amount of stairs he was being forced to climb.

He found Tony laid out on a four poster bed, the sheets tight around him. He was sleeping, but it was strange. He didn't look peaceful like he usually did when he finally slept, and he wasn't moving like he always was.

Steve didn't like seeing him so unnaturally still. He leant over and pressed his lips gently to Tony's pulling back when he felt Tony stiffen slightly beneath him.

Stepping back, he watched Tony wake up.

"If that was a hundred year sleep, I want a refund," Tony grumbled, cracking his neck. "10/10 do not recommend this bed, either. Damn, someone needs to do a refurb or something and buy mattresses that are comfier than lying on concrete."

Steve watched him rant with a small smirk on his face.

"Stop staring at me and help me," Tony complained, making grabby hands at Steve.

Steve tugged the blankets so Tony had room to wiggle out from underneath them.

"This sucks," Tony grouced. "I'm over it. I want to go—"

There was a flash, and there was darkness.

…

"Are we… home?" Tony asked, glancing around the room. It was the common area of the tower, but Tony was suspicious of Loki's tricks.

"Yes. Loki has finished having his fun," Thor said, stepping into the room.

"Fun?" Tony growled. "That was _fun?"_

"I'm sure he amused _himself_ ," Bucky said, rolling his eyes.

Steve wrapped a possessive arm around Tony's waist and raised his eyebrow at Bucky. "Maybe now we can talk about why Tony was 'riding' you, huh Buck?"

Tony snorted, and Bucky threw his hands in the air. "I was a goddamn _horse!"_

Steve held his glare for a long moment before he gave in and fell into laughter with Tony.

Bucky shook his head. "You guys suck."

…

"So, today was a trip, huh," Tony murmured, as he settled against Steve's chest.

"Eh, I don't mind you being my damsel in distress occasionally," Steve replied, wrapping his arms around Tony to pull him even closer. "Any excuse to hold you or kiss you is good in my book."

"You're a sap, Rogers."

"Sure thing, Princess."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Alright, _Rapunzel_."

Steve watched Tony fall asleep and smiled to himself as his boyfriend twitched. Fairytales could be fun, but real life was infinitely better.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Theme: Fairytale

365 - 113. Possessive

1000 - 273. "Stop staring at me and help me."


	49. TonySteve 14

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing -** TonySteve

 **Word Count** \- 3185

* * *

 **Inevitable**

* * *

Tony watched the sun rise from the balcony. It was hard to believe that just days ago, he'd been in space, fighting for the lives of everyone he loved. It was hard to believe that the war with Thanos was done; that they'd won.

Peter was back at home with May, and Pepper was at the SI office, and Rhodey was probably at home or at the Air Force base.

The team were in the tower somewhere. He'd told them they could stay while the compound was being fixed up because he just… he was done fighting. He was tired of being bitter and it took much energy to hold onto his anger.

"Tony?"

He turned to see Steve standing by the doorway, looking unsure of his welcome.

"What's up, Cap?"

"We're going to have breakfast soon. I, uh, thought you might want to join us."

Part of Tony wanted to scoff. It was a small part, but he almost gave into it. Instead, he sighed deeply and patted his hand down on the surrounding fence. "Sure, Cap."

…

Tony was trying. He really was. He was making nice with the team, spending time with Peter, talking daily with Rhodey and going to all the meetings Pepper asked him to attend.

He pasted on a smile for all to see, and he pretended that he wasn't falling apart from the inside out.

Nobody wanted a broken hero.

As much as he could, he locked himself away in the workshop. He slept little, ate even less, which gave him plenty of time to work on the Extremis strain that Dr Cho had sent him.

The fight against Thanos had taken a lot from Tony, and the cumulative damage he'd taken over the years had built to a dangerous level.

The Cradle could only do so much for him, and unlike many of the team, Tony wasn't enhanced or super durable.

At least this time, his self destruction was contained.

…

"It might work," Tony said quietly, showing Helen the changes he'd worked out for Extremis. "I don't know. It's… that's as good as it's going to get without testing it on a human and since we never intended for this to be made public… I suppose that means we're testing it on me."

"You know I can't recommend that, right?" she asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Of course I do," Tony replied, waving his hand. "If it was anyone else, I wouldn't recommend it either, but… what other choice do I have?"

"You could retire?" she offered with a wry smile. "Stop being Iron Man."

"I've been Iron Man too long to believe that simply retiring the suit would be enough to make the bad guys give up."

"That… is unfortunately a good point," Helen admitted. "Alright, we'll test this out then. If we pair it with the Cradle, you might just stand a fighting chance, Tony."

"I've faced worse odds and survived," Tony agreed.

"You have. I expect you to tell the team before we do it." Before Tony could protest, she held her hand up for him to let her finish. "Too many times the team has been broken apart by people withholding important information. Tony, this is important."

He stared at her for a long moment. "How dare you use logic against me," he muttered eventually. "I applaud your tactics though, because now I feel like I've _got_ to tell them. Thanks for that."

Helen smiled.

…

"I… erm." Tony paused when the whole team looked at him expectantly. He didn't speak much when they were all together, so curiosity was evident on every single face aimed his way. Tony was usually fine with being the center of attention, but this time, he shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Helen and I have been working on an experimental procedure that, should, hopefully, fix a lot of the damage I've done to myself over the year. It… it's not 100 percent going to work, but at the moment, it's the best we've got and it's worth taking the risk."

"Back up," Clint said, frowning. "Why do you need the procedure, is something wrong?"

"It's do the procedure or give up the suit," Tony replied flatly. "But since we all know that villains won't stop targeting me just because I no longer fly around in a tin can, I don't have much of a choice."

"But what's actually wrong with you?" Natasha pressed.

"It'd be faster to tell you what isn't," Tony muttered. "It's not… the details aren't the important part. Helen said, and I agreed, that you have a right to know about this, and why I won't be around for a couple of weeks. Rhodey is on call with War Machine if you have need of him for air support, and I'll be back within a month."

"Hopefully," Natasha said, his head tilting slightly.

Tony inclined his head to her, and then looked away. "Well, it's been fun kids, but I've got work to do so… I'll see you all later."

He escaped the room, ignoring the calls of his name.

…

"Thank you for telling us."

Tony startled. He hadn't expected anyone to be up, which was why he'd felt safe enough to do a coffee run to the communal kitchen.

"You're too big to be so sneaky," he muttered, half heartedly glaring at Steve.

"Sorry," Steve said, ducking his head. "I didn't mean to make you jump."

Tony just nodded and leant against the cabinet as he waited for the coffee machine.

"When are you… going?"

Tony frowned. "A few days. You know I didn't tell you to make you worry, Cap?"

"No, no, I'm glad you told us. I just… of course we're all going to worry about you. I know we've had difficulties in the past Tony but you're still ours. We worry about you as much as we do everyone else."

Tony didn't really know what to say to that, so he nodded, and turned to pick up his now full cup. "I, uh, I'm going to be busy for the next few days, so I probably won't see you again until… after."

Steve swallowed hard. "Just… take care please. And, well. Maybe after the… procedure, you could let us know you're okay? Please?"

Tony nodded slowly. "Sure, Cap. I can do that."

…

"You look… really good," Pepper said.

Tony grinned at her. "It's different, isn't it?"

"That's one way to describe it. You know that the press is going to have a field day about the plastic surgery kick you've been on, right?"

Snorting, Tony nodded. "Sure. That, or they'll decide I'm a selfish bastard who found the fountain of youth and decided to keep it to myself."

"So… you're okay now, right?" Pepper asked, and Tony hated himself a little for the worry that was still clouding her eyes.

"I'm golden," he replied sincerely. "Promise, Pep."

She nodded slowly and he stepped forwards to tug her into his arms. "I missed you," he murmured into her hair.

"I missed you too."

"So… fill me in on what I missed," he said, when they parted. "Feel free to omit the boring bits."

She rolled her eyes at him and he grinned.

Business as usual.

…

He felt stronger. He looked younger. He healer quicker.

The Extremis had been accepted well into his system, and the positives were many and varied. His could connect to his suit with a mere thought now.

The downside was that they couldn't know how it would affect him in the long run. Helen had multiple folders already prepared for JARVIS to send results of daily scans and anything new, but they were both cautiously happy with the success of it.

After meeting with Pepper straight from the medical facility, Tony took the elevator up to the penthouse. He knew he'd have to see the team, but he was more interested in a shower and clean clothes before that.

J had already ordered in some new stuff in his new sizes, but he knew he'd have to schedule a meeting with his tailor in the next few days.

The new muscles and slightly trimmer waist had been an unexpected bonus, but he wasn't exactly about to complain about them.

"Sir, the team are quite anxious to see you now that they know you've returned," JARVIS informed him, breaking his train of thought.

"Tell them I'll be down soon, J," Tony requested, running a hand through his already messy hair. He was oddly nervous about facing them, though he couldn't pinpoint exactly why. He supposed it was because they were important to him, and he knew that as much as he pretended otherwise, their opinion's _did_ matter.

"Shower," he muttered to himself. "Shower and then showtime."

…

"That… thing… is certainly something, isn't it?" Nat said, hours later.

The team had reacted favourably. They'd teased him a little, but ultimately were extremely happy that he was decidedly less breakable than he'd been before.

"Sure is," Tony agreed.

"I thought Steve's eyeballs were going to fall out his head," Nat said after a momentary pause. She'd waited for just the right moment, and sure enough, Tony spat the mouthful of beer he'd just taken all over the floor.

"You're a shit, Nat," he muttered, wiping his mouth.

"It's true though. He likey the new Tony."

Tony rolled his eyes. "That's not a thing. Captain America isn't gay."

"Perhaps not, but I'm pretty sure that Steve Rogers is at the very least bisexual."

Tony blinked. "Huh. That's… unexpected."

"Or maybe he's just Tony-sexual, if the way he was looking at you was any indication," she added.

Tony shook his head, a smile spreading across his face. "You just like fucking with me, don't you?"

"Little bit. Doesn't mean it's not true though."

"He's never wanted me before, Nat. If he wants me now that I'm young and hot again, it makes him a bit shallow, no?"

"You're blind if you think he's never wanted you, Tones," she replied softly, her joking tone gone.

Tony frowned. "Nat, we spend 90 percent of the time we're together arguing."

"That was true at one point, sure," she agreed. "And I know that you've both been through a lot but… haven't you noticed, Tony? No matter what happens, the two of you always end up side by side again. That means something, doesn't it?"

…

Sparring was fun now, Tony decided, as he wiped the sweat from his brow. He'd been at it for a little over an hour with Nat and Clint, and it was the most fun he'd had in weeks. They seemed to be enjoying themselves more than they ever had before too.

He supposed it was because they didn't have to be so careful with him now, whereas before, they'd always been aware of his humanity and breakability.

"M'done," he said, when Nat raised her eyebrow at him to go again. "Pep will chew my balls off if I'm late for the Maria Stark Foundation Gala tonight."

She snorted. "True. Alright, we'll see you later?"

"If you're still up when I escape, sure you will," he grinned.

Waving at them, he stepped out of the gym, only to run headlong into Steve.

"Hey Cap," he greeted, moving to swerve around the super soldier.

"Why… why do you call me that?"

Tony blinked and stopped. "I've… always called you Cap?"

"You used to call me Steve too, but… since we came back, you haven't said my name once."

"Erm. I guess I… hadn't noticed?" Tony offered. He really hadn't. It wasn't a conscious choice. "I can stop if it bothers you?"

"No, It's… it's fine," Steve waved him off with a strained smile and walked into the gym. Tony frowned after him.

Weird.

…

"I wasn't expecting you here," Tony admitted, eyeing Steve suspiciously. "You didn't mention you were coming."

"I, uh, wasn't planning on it. But then Nat happened and I guess… here I am?"

"Here you are. Well, are you enjoying yourself?"

"Sure."

"Uh huh. You're good at many things C—Steve, but outright lying is not one of your talents."

"Maybe you just know me too well?"

"Maybe I do," Tony agreed. He took a sip of his drink, soda water that, if asked, he said was vodka and lemonade. Just because he wasn't actually drinking, didn't mean anyone else needed to know about that.

"I was, um, going to go and get some air, if you wanted to come?" Steve offered, his cheeks flushing lightly.

"I… have a better idea," Tony said, glancing around the ballroom. "I've been here long enough that Pep can't complain. Let's make a run for it, and go get burgers. I'm starving."

Steve chuckled but nodded. "Sounds great, Tony."

They made their way outside, and Tony accepted his keys from the valet, tipping handsomely as he always did.

"Do… do you want me to drive?" Steve offered delicately.

Tony grinned. "I'm sober as a judge, C—Steve. Promise. I was drinking soda water."

They climbed into the car, and Tony accelerated out onto the road.

"That's… is that because of the Extremis?" Steve asked, his brow furrowed.

Tony shook his head. "No. It's… I just… realised that I didn't have to be my father to be worth something. I haven't really had a drink except the odd beer for a couple of years now."

"Huh. That's… that's awesome, Tony."

They pulled into an all night diner, and Tony loosened his tie. "Burgers?"

"Burgers," Steve agreed.

…

"Nat told me that she'd spoken to you about, um, me?" Steve offered later, when they'd returned to the tower only to find everyone had already retired for the night.

"Uh. Yeah. I… I realised it didn't mean anything though, you don't have to—"

"She was right," Steve interrupted quietly. "I… when I first woke up from the ice, it was so much and none of it seemed good and I think… I think I just attached that to you which was why I was so…"

"Asshole-y?"

Steve smiled. "Sure. So asshole-y. But then, after that first fight with Loki, and we all moved in here together and I just… I couldn't keep attaching the bad to you because you weren't… You were everything _good_ about this new world. I just… you're my end, but you're also my beginning, and you just… you're everything in between too."

"Steve—"

"We've fought, and we've laughed and we've cried together, Tony. Even if you never want anything more than what we have, you need to know that I love you. That I've loved you for years, and that… I'll never stop loving you."

Tony stared at him for a long moment. "I used to think that maybe there was… something. Until Barnes arrived, because… well, because I guess I just assumed he was your endgame. Except, then Thanos happened, and you came back here and left him in Wakanda and I couldn't work that out at all because after everything that happened, surely you'd want to be wherever he was? And it confused me, but I just… I didn't have the energy to hope that maybe, you'd come back here because I was here. "

"Buck's happy in Wakanda," Steve replied with a small smile. "He's building a life there, with them, and… I'm happy for him. I only ever wanted him to be happy and he is there. And hey, I speak to him all the time, and T'Challa said I'm welcome to visit, and he could come here or whatever. Buck has always been my best friend, but Tony… he's only ever been my best friend."

"Nat alluded to that a few weeks ago," Tony admitted.

"It's fine if this isn't something—"

"No, it is," Tony choked out. "I just… you're like, the epitome of good, you know? It's… a lot of pressure to be good for you and—"

"There's no pressure at all," Steve said firmly. "Tony, I've seen you manic on too much coffee and not enough sleep. I've seen you cornered and fighting. I've seen you being sweet and kind and generous, and I've seen you being an arrogant shit. I love every part of you. I just want you to be _you._ "

"I, uh, can I kiss you?"

"You don't even have to ask."

Tony leant forwards slowly, half convinced that Steve would move away and laugh in his face at believing this could be real. Of course he didn't. Instead, Steve moved closer, meeting Tony's lips half way and cupping Tony's face gently.

Tony blinked his eyes open when they parted—when had he closed them?—and smiled when he met Steve's eyes.

"That…"

"Was even better than I imagined it would be," Steve finished for him, ducking in to steal another kiss.

Tony nodded. "Yeah. Yeah it was."

…

"So, the Extremis… it made you younger," Steve said, a few days later when the two of them were curled up together on the sofa.

Tony nodded. "Yeah. It… I guess it sent me back to peak fitness, maybe? Not quite the same as the Super Soldier serum, but similar."

"Right. Uh. Do you know what that means for your, erm, life expectancy?"

Tony looked up at Steve to see him looking nervous and unsure. He ran a gentle finger over Steve's cheek.

"Best we can guess from the test results Helen has been getting is that I am still going to age. Just… slightly slower than the average human. So, I'm not immortal by any stretch but… I should live to a good age, bad guys notwithstanding."

"So… like me then?"

"Yeah, Steve. Like you."

Steve grinned and held Tony a little bit tighter. "That's good. I, uh, I like that. That I don't have to worry about losing you to illness or anything."

Tony smirked. "You can say old age, Steve. I know I wasn't a spring chicken before."

Steve blushed and ducked his head.

"What is it?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrow.

"I uh, I just… d'ya think you'll still go grey… you know when you age? Because I uh, I liked the grey. You looked… good."

Tony snorted. "Sure Steve. I'm sure I'll go grey eventually. How can I not, with you lot in my life?"

Steve tickled Tony into an apology and that was how the other's found them.

Nat grinned and held her hand out to Clint, who rolled his eyes and slapped a bundle of notes into her hand.

"For that, I'm choosing the movie," he grumbled.

"Of course you had a bet going about this," Tony said, looking at them upside down from where he was hanging off the sofa.

Clint wrinkled his nose. "You coulda waited a bit longer. I didn't think you'd get your shit together for at least another six months."

"So… you were betting that we'd get together, just that it'd take longer?"

"Duh."

Tony looked at Steve who smiled at him sweetly Tony shrugged and shifted to snuggle back into his side. "But you're so not choosing the movie, Barton."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - "You're my end and my beginning."

365 - 86. Applaud

1000 - 45. Epitome


	50. ClintPhilTony

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom**

 **Pairing** \- ClintPhilTony

 **Word Count** \- 1207

* * *

 **Oblivious**

* * *

"Hey Tony, we're heading out for burgers, you wanna come with?"

Tony glanced up to see Clint and Phil standing at the doorway to the workshop. "Eh, sure," he agreed. "Close everything up, J."

…

"Why are you always stealing my armchair?" Tony whined, frowning at Sam. "That's _my_ armchair. You're a chair thief!"

"Come sit over here, Tones," Clint said, shifting over on the sofa so there was a space between him and Phil.

Tony grumbled but did as he was told.

Minutes after the movie started, he was fast asleep, head pillowed on Phil's shoulder. Clint was watching him fondly.

…

"Yes, alright Pep, I'll find a date," Tony snapped, before ending the call.

Clint frowned. "Everything alright, Tones?"

"What? Oh. Yeah, fine. There's a Gala tonight and Pep wants me to not go solo like I have been doing, and she's taking Fred… Bob… whatever the new guy she's dating is called."

"I'll go with you," Clint offered, eyes sharp with… something that Tony didn't recognise.

"Yeah? You are a majestic human, Clint!"

…

He woke slowly, warm and snug. It had been a while since he'd woke to the feel of arms wrapped around him, though—come to think of it—he hadn't purposefully taken anyone to bed last night so, this… was different in a maybe not good way?

Tony opened his eyes and blinked when he saw Phil in front of him, still fast asleep. He had one arm stretched beneath Tony''s neck, and the other was resting on Tony's hip.

Which meant Clint was the one spooned up behind him, snoring softly.

Strange. And yet… comfortable. Tony shrugged it off and closed his eyes. He was still tired and honestly, he hadn't slept this well in months. Might as well take advantage, since he was already here.

…

"You're going to make Coulson's brain explode," Nat said, her lips already stretched into a smirk. Tony turned to look at her, raising his eyebrow. They were in the middle of the mall, enjoying a few hours out of superheroing and businessmaning.

"What?"

"You are legitimately the stupidest genius in the world."

"That's an oxymoron," Tony replied flatly. "Can't be stupid and a genius, Nat. That's not how that works."

" _You_ are an oxymoron. I honestly don't understand how you can be so goddamn smart about some things and so goddamn _oblivious_ about others. And like I said, Coulson's head is literally going to explode if you don't catch on soon."

"I… still don't have the first clue what you're on about, Nat."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't."

…

Tony slumped into the armchair and looked at Clint and Phil with his head tilted.

"Everything okay, Tony?" Phil asked, raising his eyebrow.

"Um. Nat said your head is going to explode. I'm… trying to work out why she thinks that. You don't seem overly stressed, at least not beyond what you've been since… I've known you?"

"Natasha should keep her beak out," Clint grumbled. Phil pinched his thigh.

"What do you think she was talking about?" he asked Tony.

There was hope shining in his eyes and it hurt Tony because he truly didn't know what he was missing.

"The truth is… I don't know what the truth is. I know I'm missing something, and I think that thing is probably my fault, since Nat mentioned it to me and she never does anything without a reason for it and—"

He was cut off by Clint's lips on his own. When Clint pulled back, Tony blinked at him.

" _Oh_."

"Yeah, oh. We've been dating you for months, Tones. You just… didn't realise."

Phil shook his head at Clint and shuffled forwards so he was sitting on the edge of the sofa. He reached out and caught Tony's hand between his own.

"If this isn't something you want, you can tell us to back off, and I swear, we will. But if… if you'd maybe like to see where we can take this… we both really like you, Tony."

"I, uh… We've been dating?"

Clint snorted. "We eat together, both in and out, all the time, we snuggle for movie nights, you share our bed at least once a week, I go as your date to all of your gala's and work shit… tell me how we're _not_ dating, Tones?"

"You… raise good points," Tony admitted slowly. "I think I just… didn't realise it was an option? I mean, the two of you are so good together and I'm. Well. Me. Which is… problematic?"

"You're not problematic," Phil growled, and his hands around Tony's tightened slightly. "You enjoy your work, you're passionate about it, and you're adorable when you're sleepy. You're generous to a fault, and you're gorgeous, Tony. Yes, you have a sharp tongue, and yes, you can be an asshole, but… I'm already dating Clint. Is that not proof that I can deal with both of those things very well?"

Tony let out a startled laugh as Clint rolled his eyes.

"He says that like he can't be an asshole himself. Have you seen him when he gets hangry, Tones? He's like Fury but _worse._ "

Tony laughed more and nodded, because hungry Phil was not fun for anyone involved.

"So… nothing needs to change?" Tony asked, looking unsure. "If we're already dating and I just didn't notice? I mean… I'm not great at the relationship thing and… I don't wanna mess anything up. I like us being… us."

"I mean… I'd like a little more of…" Clint leant forward and kissed Tony's cheek. "That. But other than that… we'll still be us, Tones. Just with a bit more."

"Whatever you're comfortable with is fine," Phil murmured. He reached up with one of his hands to caress Tony's cheek, and then guided him forward for a soft kiss.

"I, uh, I can get on board with this," Tony agreed, when they pulled away. "I. Yeah. Yeah, that sounds—" he cut himself off and nodded.

Phil and Clint both smiled.

…

"You don't win the bet," Bucky said, shaking his head at Nat. "You can't tell him about it and then say you win the bet of when he'd finally realise what was going on. That's cheating. You're a cheating cheat that cheats."

Toy shuffled into the kitchen rubbing his eyes. He wasn't paying much attention to the conversation as he made his way over to the coffee machine.

"Tony? Nat told you that you were dating Phil and Clint, right?" Steve asked, a mischievous smile on his face.

"Not in so many words," Tony muttered. "But I guess she made it so I had to speak to them about what I was missing."

"Dammit Tony," Nat groaned, while Steve and Bucky cheered.

Tony just frowned at her, pulled his full coffee cup from the machine, and then slumped onto Phil's lap, burying his face into Phil's neck.

Phil didn't seem to mind. He pressed a kiss to Tony's temple and said, "Morning sweetheart."

"Hmph."

Tony felt the vibrations of Phil's chuckle and he smiled into the man's neck. Then he saw up a bit and looked at the team.

"Wait, did everyone know about this?"

The laughter was probably answer enough.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Didn't Know They Were Dating

365 - 106. Majestic

1000 - 236. "The truth is… I don't know what the truth is."


	51. Tonypepper 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 509

* * *

 **You're It For Me**

* * *

" _Is this seat taken?"_

Their relationship had started so simply. So easily. A seat beside a beautiful woman, and a smile in return.

Tony didn't know then that Pepper Potts would be the making of him. And the breaking of him. They didn't get together immediately. It turned out, she was waiting to be interviews to be _his_ PA.

She was scarily competent and unafraid to put him in his place.

"You know what I like about you?" he asked her.

"That I won't take your shit?" she'd guessed, a smile on her face.

Which pretty much summed them up in a nutshell.

…

"I love you."

She curled into his side. "I love you too."

…

"Tony… I can't be Iron Man's girlfriend. I wasn't… made for this. It's too much. Everytime you get called out, I have to wait and hope that you're going to come home and be okay and it's too much."

"Pep—"

He had no argument, because he _was_ Iron Man, and there was nothing that could change that now. He couldn't stop… he hadn't earned the right.

…

She sent him to visit the Japanese warehouses, and arrived on his second day there.

The sweat was still cooling on their skin when she cried, quiet tears and regrets that, "we can't do this again. It's not fair, Tony. To either of us."

…

She was at his bedside when he woke up after Siberia.

"I was so scared that you were going to die," she whispered, clutching tightly at his hand.

"It'll take more than that to kill me, Miss Potts," he replied.

"I… thought it would be better. Not being so close to the situation, but it's not. It's still… it's still terrifying and I don't know what to do."

"I'm sorry."

…

"I love you."

She curled into his side. "I love you too."

…

Her face when he stepped into the portal told him that he'd be in trouble when he got home. If only he'd known that he might not ever _make it_ home, he might have thought twice about leaving.

…

His helmet flickered pathetically in front of him, and he ran a hand through his already untidy hair.

"I'm sorry, Pep. I really am. I've messed up so many times in our relationship, but this might be the worst. I'm floating around space and… I'm pretty sure that I'm not coming home. Not alive, anyway. I should have been better for you. I should have gave you flowers and held your hand and hugged and kissed you more and just… been better. I should have been better. And now… now I don't think I'm going to get the chance to show you how much I love you."

He sighed, and wiped away the tear streaming down his cheek.

"I love you Pep. You've always been it for me. I love you."

…

She was waiting for him when he stepped off the spaceship.

"You're in so much trouble."

"I know. I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - I should have gave you flowers and held your hand.

Gym - Level 1 - Glute Bridge - Use the dialogue - "Is this seat taken."

365 - 94. Visit

1000 - 265. "You know what I like about you?"


	52. TonySteve 15

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 872

* * *

 **Lie To Me**

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Tony opened his mouth to tell Steve he was just fine, but the words wouldn't come out. "My knee is protesting movement," is what he said instead.

And then he blinked.

Nope.

…

Tony wasn't a big fan of lies, but in the same vein, he wasn't a big fan of the truth when people wanted to know about his personal life. He walked a very fine line of half truths and lies by omission for the most part.

It worked for him.

Especially with the press, who ate up his words without fail.

The one question that he never answered truthfully was, "are you okay?"

He was never okay. That was just a fact of life for him, and he'd long since learnt to live with that. So when Steve Rogers, Captain America for fucks sake, asked him if he was okay after the helicarrier being blown up interrupted their slanging match, he very much did not intend to tell him the truth.

Except… the lie wouldn't come.

Fuck.

…

There was no rhyme or reason to soulmates, as far as the world could tell. And many had tried to explain the phenomenon over the years.

 _So many._

None of them had ever come up with a satisfactory explanation for soulmates—they just were.

That Steve Rogers—Captain America again, jesus—was his soulmate was the most ridiculous thing he'd ever heard. And he'd heard a lot of ridiculous things.

Tony wasn't really sure what to do with it, and so, he didn't do anything. He was pretty sure Steve didn't know, the man wouldn't lie about anything, so it was fine. Nobody needed to know about it.

Except then his mouth opened without his brain's consent and he invited the Avengers to live with him.

What the hell was wrong with him?

…

"You took a beating out there today," Nat said, slumping beside Tony. "You okay?"

"Uh huh," Tony replied with a grin. "Peachy."

"Oh, that is so bullshit and you know it," Clint argued, rolling his eyes. "You can barely move!"

"Tony?" Steve asked, walking into the room to hear Clint's last words. "Do you need me to help you down to medical?"

He meant to say no. He really, really did. And yet. "Yes."

…

"You've gotta tell him, you know?" Nat said, handing over a coffee.

Tony took the cup like it was made of stardust and sent a quick prayer up to the roof that he had such wonderful teammates. The more of the coffee he drank, the more his brain came on line, and he looked up, frowning at Nat.

"Tell who what?"

"You know exactly what," she replied, narrowing her eyes.

Tony shook his head. "I don't have to tell nobody nothing."

"No but you gotta tell Steve—"

"Tell me what?"

Tony looked at Steve, and then back at Nat, and closed his mouth stubbornly. Nope. Absolutely not a thing.

…

Except Steve was a stubborn shit. He cornered Tony all over the tower, trying to make him talk. Each time, Tony refused to speak at all and escaped as fast as he could.

He didn't need this kind of stress, dammit, he had a heart condition!

Eventually, when Tony refused to even greet him in the mornings, Steve gave up. It didn't make Tony feel good though; especially not when he caught the sad looks Steve would give him when he thought nobody was watching.

It didn't make Tony feel good at all.

…

"Are you okay?"

Steve had been in the gym for four hours. On the punching bags. He'd busted three, or so JARVIS had informed him, pointedly. Tony liked to think that his AI had bullied him into going to the gym, but really, Tony was—a little bit—concerned.

"I'm not okay," Steve replied, and then his eyes widened and he stared at Tony. "I didn't mean to say that."

"Uh huh. I figured as much."

"You… you knew. This was what Nat was—"

Tony nodded, cutting Steve off.

"Oh. Okay. I, uh… okay."

Tony frowned, but then he took in the look in Steve's eyes and the way his mouth downturned, and the slump in his shoulders.

"Pretty sure you just came to the wrong conclusions, Champ," he said, because he couldn't let Steve think this was anything bad about _him._ He wasn't that cruel.

"No, it's fine, I get it," Steve replied, turning away.

"Nope, you really don't. This isn't about you, Steve," Tony said quietly. "You're great, I swear you are. You… you're amazing. And I do not, under any stretch of my wildest imagination, deserve you."

Steve frowned. "You… truly believe that?"

"I can't lie to you," Tony muttered. "It's kinda the point."

"Tony… I've wanted to ask you on a date for weeks. I just… didn't know how. And you're ridiculous if you think you don't deserve me, because you're incredible!"

Tony blinked. "What?"

Steve's cheeks pinked. "You heard me."

"I, uh."

"Can I kiss you now?" Steve asked. "Cause I'd really, _really,_ like to kiss you."

Tony grinned. "I'd like that."

…

"You two are disgusting," Clint complained.

Tony, from his place on Steve's lap, waved him off.

"Fuck you, Barton, you're only jealous."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Soulmate!au - Impossible to lie to your destined mate.

Gym - Level 1 - Sit Ups - At least 500 words in the genre, Romance.

365 - 97. Prayer

1000 - 251. "Oh, that is so bullshit and you know it."


	53. TonySteve 16

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- _SteveTony_

 **Word Count** \- 2331

* * *

 **Every Inch Of You**

* * *

"What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here!" Tony hissed, pushing himself up from the sofa. It hurt, but he wouldn't show weakness, not here, not in front of him.

"Tony—"

"Get out!"

"Tony, please!"

Tony shook his head. The betrayal was still simmering painfully, and he didn't want to face this. He thought he'd have time, space, before he had to deal with this particular reunion and he wasn't ready for it.

Steve stepped forwards until he was within touching distance and then dropped to his knees. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "For everything."

"What are you doing? Get up, and get out, you're not supposed to be here."

"Take whatever you need out on me," Steve begged. "Hurt me if you need to Tony, just… please don't make me leave. Please. We need to work this out."

Tony shook his head in disgust.

"That you think I would need to hurt you back to get past this tells me that you don't know me at all," he whispered. He pressed a hand to his still healing chest. "I don't want to do this right now. You need to leave."

A single tear fell onto Steve's cheek. Tony watched it roll down into the scruff around his jawline. From his pocket, Steve pulled a phone and placed it carefully on the coffee table.

"Don't cut me off, Tony. Please."

"Get out."

Steve nodded sadly, slowly climbing to his feet. He opened his mouth to speak again, but Tony turned away, shaking his head. Footsteps sounded, and the soft click of the door closing.

Tony returned to his seat on the sofa, and if he cried, it was because his chest hurt. That was all.

…

 _I'm so sorry for what I did to you. I didn't want to hurt you, Tony, I've never wanted that. I just… I made so many bad choices and you paid the price for that._

Tony's thumb hovered over the delete button, hesitating. He didn't know why he was even entertaining the messages sent to the phone Steve had left behind. He didn't know why he was carrying the phone around with him, except he'd tried to put it into a drawer and lasted twenty-eight minutes before he'd taken it back out and slid it into his pocket.

He doesn't reply to the messages, but he reads every single one. A lot of the time, it was apologies, it was promises to make it up to Tony, and words of sorrow and sadness.

Sometimes it was updates on the team that are with him in Wakanda.

 _Nat is going stir crazy._

 _Bucky is still in Cryo._

 _Scott made a deal with the UN, he'll be back in America within the week._

 _Wanda is being taken to Xavior's for training. She's looking forward to it._

Rarely, it was photos. A sunset, a small lizard, a rippling shadow of a familiar figure over a lake. Tony reads all of them, and he stares at the photo's late into the night.

But he doesn't reply.

…

"The so called Superhero Civil War was a waste of time, energy and resources, brought about by a mad man with a grudge against Captain America," Tony said, his eyes on the many media liaisons in the crowd. "The Accords were always secondary, and with the necessary changes in place, Captain Rogers, Natasha Romanoff, Clint Barton and Sam Wilson have since signed them. They will be returning to American soil within weeks."

He paused, and raised his eyebrow at the crowd.

"We, as the Avengers, ask that the public support us as a line of defence between you and the threats that other people cannot handle. We ask that you stand united under our banner, as we will be reunited. We ask that the 'Team Cap' and 'Team Iron Man' is put behind us, because together, we are stronger.

"That's all. There will be another press conference once the team is back together, and you'll be welcome to ask questions then. Thank you for your time."

Tony stepped down from the podium and ignored the shouted questions aimed his way as he left the room.

Pepper was waiting for him, and she kissed his cheek. "You did well," she murmured.

Tony slumped under her praise. "I don't know if I'm ready for this, Pep."

"You are," she replied firmly, squeezing his shoulder. "You can do this, I know you can."

"Maybe."

The phone in his pocket vibrated silently and he slipped it out, closing his eyes briefly after reading the words on the screen.

 _I saw the press conference. You were more gracious than I deserve. Thank you, Tony._

…

The reunion was as awkward as Tony expected it to be. Nobody seemed to know what to say or do, and the tension was palpable.

Rhodey and Vision stood at Tony's sides, a united front as they waited for the plane to touch down on the tarmac. Steve was the first off the plane, flanked by Sam and Clint, with Natasha and Barnes bringing up the rear.

Tony's eyes locked on their locked hands with something akin to shock, but he shook it off quickly, grateful to the sunglasses that hid his surprise.

"Cap," he greeted, nodding. It wasn't warm, but it wasn't cold either.

Professionalism was Tony's new middle name.

"Tony," Steve replied, simply. He held his hand out to Tony, and Tony shook it, because what else was he supposed to do?

He nodded to the others as they surrounded Steve.

"The cars will take you to the compound," he said, nodding to the cars parked behind him, complete with drivers standing at their sides. "All your stuff is still there, in your rooms. A press conference has been called for two days from now, and we're all expected to be there, and be on our best behaviour. We're calling for the public to unite as we do, so we _have_ to show a united front."

"That won't be a problem, Tony," Steve promised.

Tony nodded once. "Then I'll see you in two days."

"You… you're not staying at the compound?" Natasha asked, a small frown on her face as she took a step towards him.

Tony looked at her, silent for a long moment. "No."

…

The press conference was a success. Their masks slid on as easily as their uniforms did, and they even managed a few jokes between them, as they played the media like a fiddle. Iron Man and Captain America had always worked well together—It was Steve and Tony that had the problems.

Afterwards, Steve suggested they all eat together, and Rhodey agreed before Tony could walk away.

The meal was stilted, but the barbs were kept to a minimum, and even Barton managed to be polite, so Tony called it a success.

He spent the hours trying and failing to ignore the looks Steve sent his way; the longing and hurt were too familiar. He'd seen them in the mirror too often for them not to be.

"I was thinking that we should start doing team training, as well as the individual training that we already do," Steve said, leaning on the table. "And some team bonding activities. So we can… reconnect."

Tony closed his eyes as the others nodded, and rubbed his temples. When he opened his eyes, they were all looking at him expectantly.

"I… won't have time to come to all of them," he said eventually. "But feel free to confer with Friday about getting things into my schedule. If, or when, I have time, I'll come."

It was the best he could offer, and thankfully, Steve nodded and accepted it. It felt like progress, but it also felt like he was diving back into a pool that had already tried to drown him.

…

Steve kissed him on a Wednesday. They'd spent the whole day together, the whole team. They'd trained successfully, eaten together, and most of them had even stuck around for a movie night that they hadn't had in the longest time.

Tony was leaving, and Steve walked him to the door, despite Tony's protests of it being unnecessary.

He should have known that Steve had an ulterior motive.

Tony stepped back, and held his hands up in warning. "I can't do this. I can't. I won't be anyone's second choice."

Steve frowned, his lips pouting naturally as he reached out for Tony. "You've never been my second choice, Tony. I've… hoped for this for… a really long time."

Tony shook his head. "If I wasn't your second choice, then why did you try to kill me?"

They hadn't spoken about Siberia, and Tony would have been fine with that remaining to be the status quo, but Steve's actions and words weren't making any sense and Tony hated feeling like he'd been wrong footed.

"Tried to—Tony! I've never tried to kill you!"

"Um. A vibranium shield to the chest says otherwise," Tony replied flatly.

Ashen faced, Steve stepped forward. He looked lost, and younger than he ever had before. "I wasn't trying to kill you," he whispered. "Not ever would I… not ever, Tony. I just… I just wanted to shut the suit down, not… I didn't want to _hurt_ you. I swear, Tony, I didn't."

"Why did you leave me behind then?" Tony asked quietly. "You left me in a frozen abandoned warehouse, Steve. You left me there with a disabled suit that I couldn't use to contact anyone because you knocked out Friday's signal, and you didn't come back for me. What did you think was going to happen?"

Steve was floundering under Tony's words and a small part of Tony felt bad for it, but he deserved answers to these questions. Especially since Steve had thrown yet another complication into the mess that was their relationship.

"Tony… I don't have any justifications for what I did to you," he replied eventually. "I can only apologise and promise that I'll never hurt you again. That… Siberia… it's the biggest mistake I've ever made in my life, and I know that I'll never be able to take that back. I know that, Tony, and I hate that I caused you pain."

"That… that doesn't explain the…" Tony cut himself off, waving a hand between the two of them. "If you're trying to 'make it up to me' by doing _that…_ that's not right, Steve. It's… not right."

"No!" Steve protested. "I… kissing you was probably a misjudgement—not because I don't want you, because I do, but… I haven't given you much reason to trust me, have I? It's not a good time for me to be doing… that. I won't pretend that I don't want to do that but I won't… I won't try it again, Tony. I promise."

Tony nodded slowly. With a last long look at Steve, he had the armour surround him and took off into the sky.

…

Thanos came, and the team—with the help of others—managed to get the best of him. Thor and Bruce returned, bringing some friends with them, and for a few weeks after the battle, the compound was full to the brim of heroes and aliens and friends.

Steve cornered Tony a few days after the battle was over.

"How are you feeling?"

Tony run a hand through his hair. "Tired."

Steve nodded. "I think we all are. That was… something else."

"It was," Tony agreed. "I think… I've been thinking about retiring. The suit, it takes a lot out of me now, and… I don't know how much more abuse my body can take before it just decides it can't take anymore."

Steve swallowed hard. "If that's what you need to do, then I'll—we'll all—support you in that."

Tony nodded. There was another option in the Extremis that he'd been working on with Helen, but he didn't know if he wanted that. Not now, after everything that had happened. He just… didn't know if he could stop being Iron Man.

Right now, he thought he could, but he'd thought that before and it hadn't stuck. It never did.

"I was so scared the whole time we were out there," Steve admitted quietly. "The way you throw yourself to the front of the pack; you terrify me sometimes. You're so eager to protect, and I just… I was scared."

"You sound like Pep," Tony replied with a soft smile. "She shouted at me after."

Steve grinned.

"Sounds about right," he said, then sobered. "I realised, when we were fighting, that I've told you that I want you, and I've told you that I missed you, but… I never told you that I love you. Watching you fight, seconds from death the way you were… I realised that if we both made it through, I had to tell you. You have to know that I love you. That I've loved you for years."

Tony stared at him for a long moment. "You can't… you can't just throw words like that around, Steve. They… they _mean_ something."

Reaching out, Steve took Tony's hand in his own and squeezed gently. "I know exactly what they mean," he promised. "And I mean them as I say them. Even if… even if we can never be more, you have to know that there is someone in the world that loves every inch of you."

"Steve…"

Steve smiled sadly. "It's okay, Tony. I don't expect… anything. I really don't. That you let me back into your life at all is—"

"I love you too," Tony blurted out. "Of course I do. I just… I don't know if I can handle… us."

"I'll take whatever you can give me," Steve said gently. "And I'll be happy for all of it."

Tony looked down at their still joined hands for a long moment before he looked up to meet Steve's blue eyes.

"Dinner?" he offered. "Just… just the two of us."

"I'd like that."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Auction - "I can't do this. I can't. I won't be anyone's second choice."

Gym - Lat Pulldown Machine - Betrayed

365 - 104. Waste

1000 - 240. "What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here!"


	54. Tony-Centric SteveBucky

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 418

 **Warning** \- Character death.

* * *

 **Never In Question**

* * *

Even as a young boy, you've always wanted the things that you can't have. You craved your father's affection and approval, and you didn't get it.

You silently begged for your mother's hugs and kisses, but you didn't get them either.

You reached out for friends, and got pushed back time and time and time again because you were the weird nerd that was too clever and too abrupt and too rich.

So from a young age, you've known that a lot of what you want is beyond your reach, and yet, when you meet _him_ , it still surprises you how much it hurts.

…

" _Big man in a suit of armour."_

" _You're nothing but a laboratory experiment."_

…

It wasn't the best first meeting, but it got better with time. Or you thought it did. The two of you were getting on better, anyway. You counted him as your friend.

At least, you thought that the two of you were friends.

But maybe you never were. Or maybe, for him, you were just an annoyance that he had to put up with.

You don't know, but, for you, it was real.

For him, you think it probably wasn't.

…

" _He's my friend."_

" _So was I."_

…

The Avengers return and you hide away because you don't want to face him. He left you, damaged and injured in a frozen waste of a facility. You worked for them to return because the needs of the world are bigger than your need to not see him, but that doesn't mean that you want to be anywhere near him.

When you do eventually see him, he's holding Barnes hand, and looking at him with hearts in his eyes.

It's then that you realise Steve could never have been yours because he already belonged to someone else.

It doesn't make it hurt any less.

…

You face Thanos and you win, but it takes a lot, too much, out of you. When you wake up in the hospital, Pepper is by your bedside.

"Why did you do it?" she asks you, and you only have one answer for her.

"I love him. He doesn't love me back, but I saved him. It was worth it."

You know that when you close your eyes again, they're never going to open but you mean the words you say because it _is_ worth it.

Steve never loved you, but you loved him. Your life for his was never even a question.

It was inevitable.

* * *

 **Written;**

Auction - Unrequited Love

365 - 91. Young

1000 - 701. Second Person


	55. TonySteve 17

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonySteve

 **Word Count** \- 858

* * *

 **Kissing In The Rain**

* * *

"Is kissing in the rain even that great? Maybe we should test it out… purely out of curiosity, I swear!"

Steve stared at Tony for a long moment and then stepped out onto the balcony, into the rain. He held his hand out for Tony to take. "Let's find out."

…

" _Why is the weather so miserable?" Clint complained. "Tony, can't you invent something to fix this shit? You invent things for literally everything else."_

 _Tony snorted from his place on the sofa, buried under a fluffy blanket. "Even I can't control the weather, Merida. Much as I may wish I could."_

 _Nat rolled her eyes as Clint groaned._

" _This is perfect weather for a movie day, what the hell is wrong with you, dude?" Sam asked, shaking his head at Clint._

…

Their lips met as rain splashed onto Tony's face. Steve's hair was already slicked to his head, the downpour taking no prisoners.

Steve's always warm hand slid around Tony's cheek to his neck and stayed there, as Tony gripped at Steve's shirt with his free hand.

…

 _They had popcorn, chips and snacks spread out around the room in record time. Drinks were passed around, Clint even made hot chocolate with whipped cream and marshmallows, and blankets and pillows were spread over all of the sofa's._

" _Who gets to pick the movies?" Clint asked, when they were all finally settled in._

" _Not you," Bruce said immediately. "Whenever you pick a movie, it always makes me hulk out. I don't even know how you do it. It's like you have a hulk-o-meter."_

" _It's a talent," Clint replied with a grin._

" _Sam, Nat and Bruce can pick a movie each," Steve announced, before there could be any arguing. "They're all next on the movie roster anyway."_

 _Tony slumped deeper into the sofa. "If any of you chick-flick loving saps pick Titanic, I will mutiny."_

" _Titanic is a good movie," Bruce replied flatly. They'd had this argument before. Many times._

" _Mutiny," Tony replied._

…

They each pulled back at the same time, though their bodies didn't separate much. Steve was looking down at Tony with a strange glint in his eyes—one Tony had seen before but had never really considered what it could mean.

"Kissing in the rain is fun," Steve murmured. "More fun even than the movies make it look."

"Kissing in the dry warmth can be just as much fun," Tony replied, smiling. "And you taste delicious. Like chocolate and marshmallows."

"Was this just… was it really just an experiment?"

Tony stared at him for a long moment. "I don't know."

…

" _That one was sweet," Steve said, as he end credits rolled. "I like happy endings."_

 _Tony grinned at him. "Sap."_

" _You like happy endings too," Steve said, patting Tony's knee, which was resting against his thigh. "Don't think I don't know how much you love Disney."_

 _Rolling his eyes, Tony wrinkled his nose. "So long as you don't let the info out. My reputation would never recover."_

" _Our little secret," Steve promised._

" _Can we take a break?" Clint asked, throwing his blanket off him. "Bathroom, leg stretch, you know… movement. My back is stiff."_

" _Sure," Steve agreed, standing up himself. "I'll refill the snacks and drinks."_

…

"But I can't really call it a mistake when I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat," Tony added.

"Yeah?" Steve asked, lips tilting up.

"Oh yeah. In the rain, in the sun, in bed, in the street…" Tony agreed. "Anytime you want to repeat that… I'm so down."

"What about if I want to kiss you all the time?" Steve asked quietly. "And if I want you to only kiss me?"

"Are you asking me to go steady, Steve?"

"I… I just want you to be mine, Tony," Steve admitted. "You can use whatever terminology you want."

…

 _Tony joined Steve at the window by the balcony. Everyone else was taking five to go to the bathroom and move around, but Steve had filled drinks and snacks and then retreated to the balcony doors. "You okay?"_

" _I'm fine," Steve replied, smiling slightly. "Just… thinking how weird it is that the movie we just watched was set right here."_

 _He gestured out of the window to the many streets they overlooked._

 _Tony nodded. "Is it realistic though? I mean… kissing in the rain. It looks uncomfortable, and yet, it's in like… every romantic comedy that exists."_

" _Not that many," Steve replied, used to and amused by Tony's exaggeration._

" _I mean… Is kissing in the rain even that great? Maybe we should test it out… purely out of curiosity, I swear!"_

…

 **Two days later.**

Tony sneezed and glared at Steve until the bigger man wrapped his arms around him and held him close against his warm chest.

"You were the one who suggested kissing in the rain," Steve reminded him, when he grumbled about it being all Steve's fault.

"You encouraged it! Since when do you encourage my idiocy?"

Laughing, Steve pressed a kiss to Tony's temple. "It's worth it though, right?"

Tony softened, and tucked his head against Steve's neck. "Yeah, Steve. It's worth it."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - "Is kissing in the rain even that great? Maybe we should test it out … purely out of curiosity, I swear!"

365 - 115. Delicious

1000 - 247. "I can't really call it a mistake when I'd do it all over again in a heartbeat."


	56. Tony&Steve 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 847

* * *

 **Better Together**

* * *

The phone rang twice before Steve answered. There was silence on the line, and Tony had to give him props for not just speaking.

"You're a bastard, you know that, right?" he asked into the silence, leaning back into his seat. "Sending me a fucking flip phone. You knew that would piss me off, didn't you?"

"I, uh, was counting on that, to be honest," Steve admitted. "I… was trying to ensure you'd call, even if it was just to rage at me about the phone."

"Well, you sneaky shit, I guess it worked."

"I guess it did. I… How's Rhodes?"

Tony swallowed hard. He didn't really want to talk about Rhodey with Steve. It was a slippery slope into anger that he was finally starting to release and the last thing they needed was to be screaming at each other over the phone.

"I can't," he muttered. "I can't talk to you about him. Not yet."

"Okay. I… You're okay, right?"

"Yeah… yeah, I'm okay. This is all… it's a mess. I don't even… I don't even really know why I called, I just…"

"I'm glad you called," Steve said immediately. "'Cause I still believe there's something left for you and me, and I… I don't want this to be our end, Tony. Not like this."

Tony groaned and rubbed at his head. "Saying sorry is hard. Can't I just… buy you jewellery instead?"

Steve snorted. "I think… that there are so many things that all of us should apologise for that… if we start, we're never going to get past the word 'sorry'. You didn't cause this Tony, I did. I think… we all made bad decisions based on good reasons. So instead of apologising… maybe we can work together on making it better?"

"Maybe. I should… I should go. Just… look after yourself, okay. Don't… don't get yourself killed until I can get you all home."

…

There was an immense amount of work to do to get the 'rogues' home. Tony ran himself ragged trying to get things in place, first to take Ross down, and then to plead the case of the team that were scattered.

He knew they were in Wakanda, but he couldn't exactly tell the UN that.

Steve kept in contact often, and the two of them talked more than they ever had when it would have been easy. It was stupid, when Tony considered it that way, but he supposed you didn't know what you had until it was gone.

What Tony had thought was a team before… they could be so much better. Before, they were absent, joining together when a threat appeared only to walk in different directions when it was all over.

Steve shared his opinion, telling him stories of the downtime the Howling Commandos had shared once upon a history lesson.

Of course, none of that would matter if Tony couldn't get the accords scrapped and the Avengers brought home.

In the meantime, more and more superheroes were coming out of the woodwork, showing up in the oddest places or coming directly to Tony for aid or offers of joining the Avengers.

It was odd, for them to come to him. He wasn't the leader, never had been. He sent them away with his contact numbers, and told them if they needed help, to call and he'd come. It was the best he could do.

At the moment, there wasn't really a team for them to join.

…

The ballot was done and the results of it were about to be announced. Tony barely heard a word after he realised that they'd done it.

He shared a look with T'Challa and the King of Wakanda nodded at him, his lips tilting up in relief and happiness.

They'd done it.

The Accords wouldn't be scrapped entirely, but a team comprising of both heroes and UN representatives would work together on a document that was the best for everyone involved. Tony knew it would require compromise and he could only pray to a god he wasn't sure he believed in that Steve and the others would understand that.

Steve promised that they would. Tony had no choice but to believe him.

…

The Compound was aired out at Tony's behest, and he was waiting to greet them when the plane finally touched down on the tarmac.

Steve stepped off first, followed by Nat and Sam. Barnes was still in cryo, and would remain there until something could be done about the triggers in his brain. Tony had sent a couple of prototypes off to Shuri, who thought they held real promise to help.

"Steve," Tony said, his lips tilting up slightly as he flipped his sunglasses to rest amongst his hair.

Steve didn't even hesitate. He stepped forwards and wrapped his arms around Tony. "Thank you," he whispered. "For bringing us home."

Throat suddenly tight with emotion, Tony nodded. "The world needs us," he said. "And… you make me be better, Steve. You always have."

Steve pulled back enough to meet Tony's eyes. " _We're_ better together."

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Lyric - 'Cause I still believe there's something left for you and me'

365 - 114. Immense

1000 - 233. "Saying sorry is hard. Can't I just buy you jewellery instead?"


	57. Tony&Steve 4

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 985

* * *

 **A Starting Point**

* * *

They were synchronous in the field. That was what baffled Nick. Watching them now in the debrief room, throwing harsh words back and forth without thought, he just didn't get it.

When he'd decided to go forward with the venture of the Avengers, he'd expected some clashes—but he'd expected them to be on the field.

Instead, he had a perfectly working team in the field and a disaster of personal relations as soon as the uniforms were stripped away.

And, at least from the way it seemed to Nick, it was always Stark vs the rest of the team. Since Stark still hadn't signed the offered contract, he had to believe it was the same whenever they met up.

Nick didn't like it. Hell, Stark could be a frustrating asshole, and he had an answer for everything, but at his heart… at his heart he was a good man. The way the team regarded him… Nick wasn't sure what was going on but he didn't like it.

"Do you even know what you're arguing about?" he asked, leaning on the table. "Because at this point, I think you're just throwing words about for fun."

Rogers and Stark both glared balefully at him while the rest of the team looked away, staring at the walls or the floors or the table.

"Okay, if this team is going to continue to be effective, we're going to have to do something about interteam relations because this? This is a mess."

"And what would you have us do, oh wise pirate?" Stark asked, raising his eyebrow.

Nick snorted while Roger's moved his glare back to Stark.

"Team bonding. You're all gonna move in together."

"The hell we are," Stark argued immediately. "If you think I've got time to be moving shit into some random hellhole designed to push us together, you can think again. I have a company to run and a million things that take up my time, Fury."

"Well, that settles it then. You've just volunteered your tower for the team." Nick looked around at the others. "Congratulations on your new home."

"Erm. No. No I did not," Stark argued, standing up. "I'm done here. The rest of you can enjoy your team bonding somewhere that isn't my tower. I'm only a _consultant_ anyway."

The others all watched him walk out before they turned back to Nick.

"He's still a consultant?" Rogers asked, frowning. "Why? He's as much a part of the team as the rest of us."

"Oh, so you do realise that then?" Nick asked, raising his eyebrow. "Because the way all of you treat him, it's no wonder he hasn't signed the contract I gave him three months ago that matches the rest of yours."

Rogers frowned.

"Seems to me that a team follows their leader," Nick said, suddenly gaining an insight at the way they all seemed to automatically turn to Steve at the news. "So maybe you should look less at what you've read in the media, and pay more attention to the man standing in front of you, _Captain."_

Rogers had the grace to look ashamed.

…

"I've been unfair to you."

Tony startled and turned to see Steve walking slowly up to him. He was on the roof of the tower, his safe place when his mind was too active to settle to anything in the workshop.

"How the hell did you get up here?"

"JARVIS let me up, when I explained why I was here."

"And why _are_ you here?" Tony asked, leaning against the railing.

"To apologise," Steve admitted quietly. "Like I said, I've been unfair to you. I think… I mixed what I saw in the papers and my memories of Howard to create a… picture of you in my mind and I haven't… I haven't looked past that long enough to realise that you're nothing like they make you seem."

Tony nodded once. "Square deal. Apology accepted. You know the way out."

"Tony—"

Tony rolled his eyes. "I don't need a patent Captain America speech, thanks. You've apologised, I accepted it, we're done."

"So you'll sign the contract to be part of the team then?"

Tony's eyes widened and then he snorted. "He's a meddling bastard. Look, being a consultant is fine. I don't need a shiny piece of paper to tell me I can help people. I can do that without being an Avenger."

"But you're already an Avenger," Steve argued stubbornly. "One that's been treated unfairly, but an Avenger nonetheless."

Tony closed his eyes. "I came up here to look at the stars, not for you to preach at me, Cap. I'll think about it, alright?"

Steve opened his mouth to argue, then closed it and seemed to deflate a little. "Okay. I, uh, I used to like looking up at the stars back before… anyway, Dugan used to point out the constellations for us."

Tony nodded silently. He knew when not to be an ass.

Steve pointed to the sky. "That's Andromeda."

Tony nodded again, because he knew that. When Steve didn't point any more out, he sighed.

"Over there is Canis Major, and Canis Minor and that one there…"

He pointed out the visible constellations in the sky, Steve hanging on his every word. When he was done, Steve smiled at him, his eyes bright with happiness.

"How do you know so much about the stars?"

"My mother," Tony admitted. "She loved them. She used to tell me the stories behind them was I was young, I suppose it stuck."

Steve nodded. "Well, thank you for sharing them with me."

"Uh, anytime, Cap."

"I should leave you to your evening. I, well. I _am_ sorry, Tony. Really."

Tony nodded. "Yeah. Yeah, me too. I haven't exactly been a shining beacon of politeness, have I?"

Steve snorted but said nothing. Tony smiled at him.

It wasn't much, but maybe it was a start.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Synchronous

365 - 88. Venture

1000 - 369. Stargazing


	58. TonyBucky 6

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 1273

* * *

 **Pining For Him**

* * *

"Are you pining again?" Nat asked, sitting down at the breakfast bar facing him. Bucky didn't even look up at her, he kept his eyes on the blade he was cleaning.

It was something that settled his nerves when he was feeling anything less than his best. Bucky never felt completely safe from suddenly turning into the Winter Soldier—never mind that the trigger words had been removed—but when his mood dipped it was even worse.

"I've told you before that he's not with Rhodes, Bucky. They're just… really close friends."

Bucky sighed and shook his head. You didn't just give your dog tags to your _friend._ That wasn't a thing, so there had to be something more than that going on. Tony never took the silver chain off, and occasionally, Bucky could hear them gently clanking against the rim of the arc reactor.

It was a little odd that Natasha didn't know about it—she knew about everything—but Bucky just couldn't believe that Tony and Rhodes could be platonic.

Not with what was practically a sign of ownership hanging around Tony's neck.

"Just… leave it alone," he muttered.

Nat sighed but a few seconds later, she tapped her hand on the bar and walked away.

…

"Just ask him," Steve said, throwing his hands in the air. "It's not like he's going to lie if he is with Rhodes, is it?"

"I dunno, Stevie, because if there were openly together, you'd all know about it, wouldn't ya?"

Steve groaned. They'd had this conversation ten times too many in the months since Bucky had finally joined them at the tower.

"It's fine, just leave it," he muttered.

…

"Honeybear!" Tony cried out, already stepping out of the suit to run the few steps to where Colonel Rhodes was awaiting them. "I thought you weren't getting in until tomorrow."

Bucky watched, frozen to the spot, as Tony practically leapt at the taller man, who easily caught him and spun him around in a hug.

"Thought I'd surprise you," Rhodes murmured, nuzzling his face against Tony's hair for a moment. "I missed you."

Tony's smile practically lit the room up. "I missed you too."

…

"Have you got a problem with my Sour Patch?" Tony asked, the morning after Colonel Rhodes left. "Only, you kept glaring at him like you wanted him to be eviscerated or something, and I wondered if he'd offended you?"

"No, no," Bucky said, waving off Tony's concern. "Sorry, I just… my arms been hurting a little bit, that's all. Guess it made me look like I was glaring. I like Rhodes just fine, he's good for you."

Tony looked at him a little weirdly, but then turned his attention to the metal arm, his expression sliding into concern almost immediately. "Why didn't you come to me when it started hurting?"

"You were busy," Bucky replied, shrugging. He felt a little guilty about lying to Tony—the arm was hurting, but only since that morning, when sparring with Steve had gone a little awry—but he couldn't deny that he enjoyed having the man's laser smooth attention directed all at him.

"Come on down to the lab and we'll take a look at it."

…

"We can't do anything until Colonel Rhodes gets here," Doctor Cho snapped. "He's inbound, ETA ten minutes."

Bucky frowned. "Why can't you do anything? Tony needs help!"

"Rhodes is Tony's medical proxy. We need permission from him."

Bucky growled and slammed his fist into the wall before he walked out.

…

"Hey, Snowflake," Tony greeted, a few days later when Bucky entered the private hospital room. "I heard you had a bit of an episode the other day?"

"It was nothing," Bucky denied. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine, and don't think I don't see you deflecting, sunshine. I see you."

"I just… I was worried about you, and then when they wouldn't help you I just… lost it a little. I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's fine," Tony murmured, holding his hand out to Bucky. "I was worried about you, that's all. You're okay now?"

"Sure am," Bucky replied, squeezing Tony's hand gently. "When can we bust you from this place?"

"Tomorrow, hopefully. You know, if I don't die of boredom in the meantime."

Bucky snorted. "I'll stay and entertain you, Doll."

…

"Okay, what is this," Tony demanded, pointing at Bucky and then Rhodey. "I know your arm isn't hurting you, Snowflake, because I just did some work on it this morning and I know it's in good condition, so what is this look?"

Bucky blinked and looked up at Tony. He didn't have an answer; mostly because he hadn't even realised he was glaring again.

"Uh—"

"Nuh uh," Tony snapped. "Don't you play stupid with me, Bucky. I _saw you."_

Bucky looked between Tony and Rhodey and then hightailed from the living room as fast as he could. He couldn't handle the betrayed look on Tony's face or the suspicious, angry on on Rhodes'.

He made it as far as the gym before someone caught up with him.

"Do you want to explain what I've done to earn your anger?"

Bucky turned slowly to find Rhodes leaning on the doorframe, arms crossed, one leg folded around the other.

Bucky deflated and didn't even try and make a start on the punching bag. Instead, he sunk down to one of the benches and put his head in his hands.

"He wears your tags," he muttered eventually.

"He does," Rhodes said calmly. "Because he's the most important person in my life."

"I guess… I guess I'm jealous. You don't have to worry, I won't… I won't say anything or do anything about it, I just…"

"If someone asked you who the most important person in your life is, who would it be?" Rhodes asked, ignoring Bucky's rambling.

"Stevie," Bucky answered, almost automatically because that had been the answer for years. Stevie was his best— "Oh."

He looked up to see a smug smile on Rhodes' face.

"He's my best friend," Rhodey agreed with a nod. "And he has been for longer than I care to think about. It's not romantic, never has been, but… Tony _is_ mine. So… if you hurt him, you'll answer to me."

Bucky blinked. "I… he deserves better than—"

"I think you need to go upstairs and tell my best friend that you were jealous, and that's why you're acting a fool. He's upset, because two of the people he cares about aren't getting on. It's on you to go and fix that, and put the smile back on his face."

Bucky opened his mouth to protest and then closed it. "I… you're right."

…

"I was jealous."

Tony blinked. "Come again?"

"I was jealous. You… you wear his tags. I thought—"

Tony's eyes widened. "You… fancy Rhodey?"

"What? No. I love you, you twit," Bucky said, shaking his head. Then he realised what he'd said and he blushed from his hair roots down his chest. "I, uh, what I mean to say is—"

"You can only take it back if you didn't mean it," Tony said, stepping forwards towards Bucky.

"Then I guess I can't take it back."

Tony's smile, one that Bucky thought was reserved for Rhodes, was beautiful, and like the few other times he'd seen it, it took his breath away.

Reaching forwards, he snagged Tony's hand in his own. "I love you, Tony."

…

Rhodey's tags remained around Tony's neck, but that was okay. Every time Bucky held Tony's hand, the promise ring that sat there reminded him that Tony was his, as much as he was Rhodey's.

That was fine with him.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Auction - Silver

365 - 89. Blade

1000 - 601. Ring


	59. Tony&Nat

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word count** \- 447

* * *

 **Silent Comfort**

* * *

"Are you okay?"

Tony jumped, pressing a hand to the arc reactor automatically. "Jesus fuck, Nat. Can we try and not scare the resident walking heart attack waiting to happen?"

Nat laughed quietly. "Sorry. I didn't think anyone would still be awake."

Tony just quirked his eyebrow at her. He took in the way she was sitting on the sofa, huddled under blankets, and the ads playing quietly on the tv. He was so tired, he hadn't even noticed it was on when he'd first entered the living area.

He ran his gaze over her face and noticed the slight red rim around her eyes and the chapped skin on her lip where she'd clearly been biting it.

Saying nothing else, we walked into the kitchen and set about the work top, quickly and competently mixing up two hot chocolates with maybe a little more than a splash of whisky in them.

He returned to the living room and handed one over silently, slumping down on the sofa beside Nat.

"You wanna talk about it?" he offered, knowing the answer he'd get.

She shook her head, wrapping her hands around the cup. "You want to talk about why you're not sleeping again?"

"I sleep," he argued half-heartedly. "Occasionally."

"You pass out, you don't sleep," she replied and he heard a measure of amusement there.

"You're a creeping creep that creeps," he muttered. "Have you been spying on my again?"

"It's not spying when I'm checking up on my friend," she said, narrowing her eyes at him slightly. "I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine. Honestly. I just… have phases where I can't sleep. It happens."

"Especially when the nightmares are bad, right?"

Tony shrugged. They sat in silence for a few minutes, each sipping at their hot chocolate, eyes on the tv screen.

"Why does anyone need a hoover with that many add ons?" Tony asked eventually. "Just… make one that does all the things without bits of plastic laying around the place."

"Not everyone can build things out of thin air the way you can."

"I'm gonna build a hoover tomorrow," Tony muttered. His blinks were getting longer, and it was getting harder to force his eyes to open.

Nat tossed her blanket over him and then propped her legs across his knees. He automatically rested his hand on her calve, squeezing lightly.

"Think you can sleep a little more?" he asked, aware of the sleepy slur to his tone.

She nodded, settling down into the sofa. He smiled at her and closed his own eyes. Maybe having someone there would help both of them get some sleep. Sometimes, it was silent comfort that meant the most.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Auction: Comforting someone after a nightmare

365: 111. Creep


	60. Tony&Steve 5

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 1379

\- _no superpowers here, and Tony is a genie._

* * *

 **Unshackled**

* * *

If he could deny the call, he would. No matter how much Tony hated being stuck in the lamp, he hated that he was forced to serve even more. Yet, as soon as someone rubbed the greasy fingers over the smooth gold of his lamp, Tony was forcibly removed through the spout.

"How can I serve you?" he asked, then looked up to see the summoner. "Oh. You're a new one," he muttered, eyeing the man in front of him curiously.

The blond man simply blinked at him, clearly at a loss.

"What, you've never seen a genie before?" Tony snapped, when the man continued to stare.

"Um. No. Can't say I have."

Rolling his eyes, Tony folded his legs beneath him and rested his chin on his hand. Even though, technically, he was still floating, he might as well be comfortable. The guy was hot but Tim-Nice-But-Dim came to mind.

"Do you at least know the rules? Terms and conditions are boring, but if you don't know them, I've gotta hand them out. Can't have you trying to sue me, can I?"

"Uhh, three wishes, right?"

"Yup," Tony agreed. "I can't bring people back from the dead, can't kill people and I can't make people fall in love. You get three wishes only, no loopholes, you can't wish for more wishes, and fair warning, if you wake me up before ten am, I will sabotage you for the whole day. I might have been cursed into this form but that doesn't mean I have to get out of bed early."

"You were cursed? Why?"

Tony stared at the man. Oddly, nobody had ever asked him that. They tended to stop listening after he got to the 'three wishes' schtick. Go figure.

"It's a long story," he muttered, shaking his head. "So. Wishes. Hit me."

"I'm Steve," the man said, after a hesitant pause. "What's your name?"

Huh. That was new too. "Tony."

"I… don't really know what to wish for," Steve admitted. "There's not really… anything I want."

"There's gotta be something?" Tony replied. Great, he was gonna be here _forever_. "Riches, a promotion, I'd say better looks but you don't need them—"

"Can I use my wishes for other people?" Steve asked, his brow furrowing.

"Sure you can," Tony agreed.

Steve nodded thoughtfully. "I. My first wish then, is that my best friend, James Buchanan Barnes, will live a fulfilled and happy life."

Tony blinked. "That's… the purest wish I've granted for a while."

He closed his eyes and let his magic flow, locating the person Steve wanted to gift with this wish.

"Done. You have two wishes remaining."

Steve nodded, a smile brightening his face. "Thank you. I… is there a time limit on when I have to use them, or—"

"Nope, you can take your time. Just rub the lamp when you've thought of your next one and I shall appear. Don't forget, don't wake me before 10."

Steve snorted as Tony returned himself to his lamp. His thoughts remained on his new 'master' though. He was… well, hot, obviously, but also, he just seemed like a genuinely good guy. Tony didn't often meet people like that.

Greed could turn even the nicest people into the worst of them, in Tony's experience.

…

A brush of fingers on the lap had Tony spilling out into a demure living room. It was nice, lived in certainly, and it had a warm, homely feel to it. Steve was sitting on his sofa with his legs tucked up, a sketchpad open on his knee.

"How can I serve you?" Tony asked, hating the words as they fell from his lips.

Steve just looked at him. "I, uh. I was hoping you'd let me draw you."

"That's… new. But sure," Tony said with a shrug. It was nice to not be stuck inside the lamp for a while, not that he'd ever admit that.

Steve smiled up at him, and picked up his pencil. "So, how did you become a genie?" he asked, eyes on the paper.

"I told you, long story," Tony replied quietly. "You don't need to know the dramatics of my family."

"Your family did this to you?"

"Uh huh."

"Why though? I can't imagine it's the most fulfilling existence."

Tony sighed. "My parents were… successful people. I was being prepped to take over the family business, but my father's business partner, Uncle Obie, he didn't want me there. If I wasn't around, he could do what he wanted with the business. My parents died and Obie—vulgar, greedy git he was—he made contact with some… unsavory beings and had me trapped like this. Sold his soul for the privilege, but I'm not sure he ever really had a soul to begin with."

"That's awful," Steve whispered. "And you're just… stuck like this? There's no way out for you?"

"There is, but," Tony sighed. "It'll never happen, so there's no use dreaming about it."

"How? Maybe I can help?"

Tony just shook his head. "It's nothing. I, uh. I'm tired. I'm just gonna—" he nodded to the lamp, and moments later, he was back inside it, miserable but at least he was safe from the threatening hope and the inevitable disappointment.

…

Steve just would not quit. Every evening, he rubbed the lamp to coax Tony out, citing that he had no wishes, he just wanted to talk.

Tony tried to deny him, but there was just something so… genuine about him, that Tony couldn't stop himself from enjoying the company. He tried not to, he tried so hard, because eventually, Steve would make his next wishes and Tony would be shunted off somewhere else, to a new master.

Every evening, Steve would ask how Tony could be freed, and every evening, Tony refused to answer.

Until, finally, a month after Steve rubbed the lamp for the first time, Tony snapped.

"I have to be wished free," he said, staring at the wall. "And since nobody is ever going to waste a wish on the genie, it's about as likely as the sky falling in. Okay? Will you leave it alone now?"

He didn't give Steve chance to answer, returning to the safe haven of his own personal prison cell.

Steve didn't rub the lamp for four days after that. Tony wasn't surprised.

…

"I've decided on my second wish," Steve said, on the fifth day, when Tony appeared in front of him. "But I'm not sure on the wording?"

Tony frowned. "I don't know how much I can help you with that, but what is it you want?"

"I want the homeless shelters to have more resources," Steve said quietly. "I passed one today, and even though it _was_ a roof over the people's heads, they were still cold and hungry. I want to fix that."

Tony sighed. How was this man even real?

"Okay, so you wish for more resources for homeless shelters?"

Steve nodded. "Yes."

"Okay. Okay, I can do that."

For a second time, Tony reached out with his magic, stretching it out around the world as he gave Steve what he'd asked for.

"Done. You have one wish remaining."

He was about to return to his lamp when Steve stopped him.

"I know my third wish."

"Huh. That was fast, are you—"

"I wish you free, Tony."

Tony blinked at him. "You… what?"

"I wish you free," Steve repeated, his lips tilting up in a smile. "You're free, Tony."

The shackles fell from Tony's arms as Steve spoke, and the lamp fell to the floor, useless now that it was no longer Tony's home.

"I—" Tony gasped, as his magic swirled around him for a final time and then left, leaving him standing in Steve's living room, naked as the day he was born. Steve flushed and quickly turned away, handing Tony a blanket to wrap around himself. "I… don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Steve said, turning back once Tony had wrapped himself up in the soft blanket. "You can stay here, if you need too? Until you get yourself on your feet."

Tony was at a loss, and he threw himself at Steve, hugging the man tightly. "Thank you."

Steve hugged him back. "You're welcome."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Auction - D27/4. Aladdin

365 - 109. Vulgar

1000 - 962. Genie


	61. TonyBucky 7

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 315

* * *

 **Worth The Risk**

* * *

This was all Stevie's fault, Bucky thought, as he wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans. The little shit—not so little now—had always been able to persuade Bucky to do stupid things, and this, this was the height of stupidity.

The elevator stopped, and the doors opened. Bucky's ears were immediately assaulted by Tony's music, and he winced slightly, even as JARVIS dropped the volume.

"Buckaroo!" Tony greeted, turning around. "What brings your fine self here?"

"I, uh," Bucky murmured, losing track of his words as he stared at Tony. There was a streak of oil on his face, and his eyes were twinkling happily in the way they only did when he was inventing, and the tank top he wore did nothing to hide the subtle muscles in the man's frame.

He almost backed out entirely. It wasn't worth the risk of losing that easy smile, the playful banter they shared, the—"

"Will you go to dinner with me?" he asked, the words leaving his mouth almost without his permission.

"Uh, sure thing, snowflake," Tony replied. "Is the team all going?"

Bucky blinked. Of course Tony thought it was a team thing. Of course he did, because nothing was even going to be simple.

"Just us," he said quietly. "Like… a date."

Tony stared at him. "I… you… really?"

Bucky realised that the expression on Tony's face was straight up disbelief and he almost frowned. How could someone like Tony—handsome, kind, generous and intelligent—have so little self worth?

"Really," he said, stepping forwards. "Come on, Doll, you've gotta know that I've been gone on you for months."

"Uh. I… did not know that," Tony admitted, taking the hand that Bucky offered. "Let me get cleaned up?"

Bucky nodded. "I'll wait upstairs for you, kay? Dress comfortably, we're going for burgers and milkshakes."

Tony grinned. "You know me so well, Snowflake. Half an hour?"

Leaning forwards, Bucky pressed his lips to the back of Tony's hand. "Half an hour."

Back in the elevator, Bucky breathed out a sigh of relief. Okay, so maybe it was worth the risk… he wasn't going to tell Stevie that though.

He was even more of a shit when he was proved right.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Auction: D26/1. Bucky Barnes

365: 127. Persuade

1000: 975. Title: Worth The Risk


	62. TonyBucky 8

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Written for Auction Prompt, D27/2. Nemesis.**

 **Word Count** \- 1216

\- Female Tony

* * *

 **Not My Secret To Tell**

* * *

"You really don't think we should go after her?" Steve asked, frowning. "She's technically a villain, even if she clearly has good motive. Murder is still murder."

Bucky and Clint both shrugged, and Nat's lips tilted up in a small smirk.

"I say we leave her too it," Nat said. "The men she targets… they deserve nothing less than what she delivers."

Steve bit his lip. "Fury wants her brought in. He thinks she could be a good addition to the team, and we could, you know, maybe curb the murderousness."

Nat rolled her eyes but nodded. "It'll be nice not to be the only female that has to deal with you lot."

"Rude," Bruce said, from the end of the table.

"Besides, Toni is around occasionally," Clint threw in. "I know she's not on the team, but she makes all of our equipment."

"Not the same, and I wasn't counting you, Bruce."

"Okay. Let's go bring us a murderous goddess then," Bucky said, grinning widely. This was absolutely his kind of mission—and it didn't hurt that the few photo's they'd managed to catch of 'Nemesis' were _smoking hot._

He liked a fiery women. There was a reason he spent as much time as possible with Toni, after all.

…

Toni grinned to herself, watching the factory _burn._ The Avengers would be here soon, and she knew she was taking a risk by staying to watch, but the Avengers couldn't actually catch her. They were good, the best of the best really, but she was still better.

Besides, the suit she'd built covered her well enough that even if they did catch her… they'd never know that 'Nemesis' was actually the eccentric billionaire engineer.

She knew that they wanted her to join them, mostly so that they could control her, Toni was sure, but also because they thought she'd be a good addition to the team.

Toni was in two minds, but she was intrigued by what they'd say to her to try and convince her.

Sure enough, JARVIS informed her that the Quinjet would be arriving within seconds. She watched as it landed, and Barnes—God, but he was fine—looked up at her with a cheeky grin.

The others followed the soldier out of the jet and looked up at her. Thor was swirling his hammer, ready to take chase when she landed a little away from them.

"We just want to talk," Steve said, holding his hands out in front of him. "We'd like you to voluntarily join us back at SHIELD."

"And if I say no?" she asked, the voice modulator changing her voice enough that they wouldn't recognise her. "Will you attempt to force me to comply?"

Steve's brow furrowed. "We don't want to hurt you," he said, sidestepping the question. "We think you could be a good addition to our team—but you'd have to stop murdering people as you are."

"You don't believe that they deserve to see justice?"

"Justice doesn't automatically mean death," Steve replied softly. "There are official channels for justice."

"Hmm, the American way," Toni replied softly. "You'll have to forgive me if I don't believe that these men, powerful as they are, will face real consequences for their actions."

"Think of the good you could do if you joined us," Natasha said, stepping forwards. "You'll still be fighting the bad guys, and you'll be helping a lot more people than you can alone."

Toni didn't necessarily agree with that, but she let it slide for a moment. She truly liked Natasha, after all.

"I refuse to give you my identity. If I come with you, it's in the suit or nothing," she offered eventually. "I reserve the right to protect my identity, and will only known to you or SHIELD as Nemesis."

Steve nodded. "Deal."

"Then lead the way," she said, gesturing them to the Quinjet. "I'll follow."

Steve opened his mouth to protest but Bucky slapped his shoulder. "Trust," he hissed. "It's about building it. Get on the jet."

Steve didn't look happy about it but with a last look at Nemesis, he nodded. "Okay. We'll see you there."

…

Toni knew her way around the helicarrier, hell, she'd helped build it, but as Nemesis, she had to pretend she didn't. It was… irritating, and she was quickly seeing the flaw of the secret identity gig.

She'd met with Fury, remained mostly silent as he talked at her, and had agreed on a trial basis to work with the team. It was mostly for shits and giggles if she was honest with herself. Nothing SHIELD or the team said would stop her from going after those she felt deserved it.

There was a reason she'd taken on the moniker of Nemesis, after all. Retribution had been what she'd needed when she first built the suit, and the idea had stuck with her long after she'd gotten her own justice.

Of course, since Toni also had to show her face occasionally, it quickly became a juggling act.

…

"Hey Gorgeous," Bucky said, stepping into the workshop. "How's—Is that Nemesis' suit?"

Tony looked up, startled and inwardly cursing herself for not locking the workshop down before she took the suit out.

"Uh, yeah. She uh, said I could have a look at it. You know what I'm like for mechanics."

"I bet you could build one as good if not better, Doll."

Toni laughed, slightly hysterically. "Right, right. I uh, what can I do for you, Snowflake?"

"Just thought I'd come see what you were doing—and if I could tempt you away for milkshakes."

"You know the way to my heart, hunnybunch," Toni replied cheerfully, turning her back on the suit.

Bucky looked at her and then the suit and then back and quirked an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything. He held his arm out for her, and she pushed her hand through the gap.

…

"Son of a bitch," Toni muttered, stomping along the ground. The thrusters had been jammed and she was left flightless, and a little bit in the shit because she wasn't sure how to get away from the Avengers and into her mansion without them tracking her.

"Come on, Doll," Bucky said, appearing beside her and tugging on her arm. He pulled her towards a truck and helped her into the back of it before he hopped into the driver's seat. She frowned, but didn't say anything as he drove.

It's not like he was going to kidnap her.

Her frown deepened when he pulled up to the mansion and stopped the car at the gates.

"Open up, J," she instructed her AI quietly and the gates opened.

When Bucky helped her out of the truck, she pressed the button to manually retract her helmet.

"How'd you know?" she asked, as he followed her through the garage to the workshop.

"I've known for months," he replied, smirking.

" _How_?"

"You called me snowflake, when we crossed each other in the field," Bucky replied simply and she gasped. She remembered that, remembered her cursing herself for it. She'd been worried for weeks until she became sure he didn't know.

He'd been so normal and—

"You didn't say anything?"

"Wasn't my secret to tell," he said with a shrug. "Still isn't."

"You're my favourite."

"I know.


	63. Team Fic 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Written for Auction:** Prompt D29/1. Toy Story (to be used as an AU or as inspiration.)

 **Word Count** \- 397

* * *

 **Reasons We Don't Let Loki Watch Disney**

* * *

"This is why we don't let Norse Gods watch Disney."

Tony stared at Sam for a long minute before he started laughing. "When you're right, you're right," he agreed through his chuckles.

"I'm going to kill him," Nat growled.

"He is still my brother," Thor said, though even he was looking down at himself in disbelief. "Though I don't see why I am a dinosaur. He could have allowed me my cloak and hammer!"

"I'm going to _kill him,"_ Nat repeated, picking at her dress. "What the hell even is this?"

"Pretty sure you're supposed to be Little Bo Peep," Clint cackled.

She glared at him. "I see no difference in you, so I guess you got lucky."

Clint blinked, looked down at himself and then shrugged. "I'm not mad at being an alien. All the better to see you with, my dear."

"I will whip you with this crook if you don't hush your gums," she warned.

"Do aliens have gums? Is that a—Ow! Rude!"

"Why do I always have metal somewhere?" Bucky asked, stepping forwards. His back legs stayed where they were, his stomach stretching out in between. "This feels unbelievably weird by the way."

"Why do I have a… string coming out of my back?" Steve asked.

"Oh my god, pull it," Tony begged. Tears streamed down his face as he laughed at his teammates, his helmet making him unable to wipe them away.

Steve eyed him suspiciously for a long moment before he pulled the loop.

" _I can do this all day!"_

"Oh my god that's amazing, do it again," Bucky said, joining Tony in his refreshed laughter.

Before Steve could reply, a clatter sounded and they all turned to see—

"Why am I falling apart?" Bruce complained. "Seriously, it shouldn't be this hard to keep myself together."

Tony nudged the Mr Potato Head nose forward with his foot.

"Why aren't you complaining?" Steve asked Tony, frowning. "Normally, you hate when this kinda of weirdness happens. What happened to 'I hate magic!'?"

"I can still fly," Tony replied with a shrug. The Buzz suit wasn't all that different from the Iron Man suit really.

"Go on then," Sam grumbled, his curly pink tail twitching.

Tony rolled his eyes but pressed a button, frowning when nothing happened. The suit made noises, and there were even flashing lights but—

"I'm going to fucking kill Loki!"


	64. TonySteve 18

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Written for Auction Prompt - D30/1. Dialogue - "You want a love that consumes you, and I can't give you that."**

 **Word Count** \- 419

* * *

 **Let Me Love You**

* * *

Tony felt bad for saying no, he really did. He watched Steve's face practically crumble, the hurt in his eyes, the downturn of his plump lips, the furrowing of his brow.

They'd been doing this dance for months, maybe even years, and Steve had finally gotten up the courage to ask Tony on a date.

It'd been fine when it was innocent flirting, when it was just a slow dance of people who found each other attractive, but this… Tony couldn't do this.

Not to himself and definitely not to Steve.

"You want a love that consumes you, and I can't give you that," he murmured, squeezing Steve's hand. "You deserve that, Steve, you really do. It just… it can't be with me."

"What if I only want you?" Steve argued. "In whatever way I can have you?"

"I won't do that to you," Tony replied flatly.

"But—"

"Steve, please. I just… can't. Not… not to you. I can't. Don't ask me to give you less than you deserve."

Steve opened his mouth to argue, but Tony turned away, dropping Steve's hand from his grasp and minutes later, Tony heard the doors closing.

"Lockdown, J."

"Sir—"

"Lockdown."

…

"You've been avoiding me."

Tony turned and blinked at Steve. He'd been awake for entirely too many hours to be dealing with this.

"I've been busy," he replied. "And I thought, maybe after… it would be best to give you some space."

"You've got to stop thinking you know what's best for me, Tony. Isn't that what you told me? That you're a man with your own mind and your own thought process and you know what you want? That I shouldn't tell you what you should or shouldn't do?"

"Well, yeah, but—"

"Then don't you think you should give me the same courtesy?"

"Steve—"

"I love you. And if you don't love me and that's why you said no, then that's fine, Tony. It'll hurt, but I can accept it. But if you do love me… let me decide if what you can give is enough. Please."

Blaming his exhaustion on the way he stumbled, Tony pressed his forehead against Steve's shoulder. "I'm trying to protect you, Steve. Just… let me protect you."

"If it means I can't have you, I don't want you to protect me, Tony. Just love me. Let me love you."

"I do love you," Tony whispered. "I really fucking love you."

Steve shifted and lifted Tony as though he weighed nothing. "I love you too."


	65. TonyBucky 9

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Written for Auction Prompt - D30/3. Setting; Hotel**

 **Word Count** \- 566

* * *

 **No More Hotels**

* * *

The hotel room was bare, boring, anonymous. Exactly what Tony needed. He sat down on the bed and folded his hands together, his chin falling to his chest. He'd hoped there would be a better way to deal with the situation, but so far, none were presenting themselves.

A quiet knock sounded, and Tony sighed deeply before he walked over to the door and opened it, letting his guest slip by him before he closed and locked it shut.

He took a moment before he turned to see the man standing in the middle of the room, looking a little lost.

Tony couldn't help but feel a little pity for Barnes. The man had been tortured over and over for so many years, only to break free and find out that he was soulmated to _Tony Fucking Stark._

Who'd also tried to kill him.

Not the best of starts to their… relationship, admittedly, but it was what they had.

"How are you?" Tony asked, clearing his throat awkwardly. While he could be his most confident, his most arrogant, in a room full of strangers without effort, Barnes tended to bring out the awkward nerd underneath the shell he'd build himself so many years ago.

"I'm okay," Bucky said, twitching.

It looked like he was straining to hold himself back from reaching out to Tony, but Tony could empathise. This soulmate shit was fucking potent.

He stepped forwards and held his hand out. Barnes never reached first, though he never hesitated to take what Tony offered.

Their hands slid together and Tony felt a release of the tension running through his entire body. He almost sagged to the floor; would have done, if he had even a little less self control.

He stumbled closer and pushed Bucky onto the bed, sitting beside him and snuggling closer immediately. Bucky wrapped both of his arms, metal and flesh, around Tony and sighed deeply, resting his face against Tony's hair.

"It's been too long this time," he whispered.

"I know," Tony admitted. "I'm sorry. I'll… I can't promise that I won't get called away, but I'll try not to be away for too long."

Bucky nodded. "It'd be easier… if we could meet up in the compound more."

Tony stiffened against him slightly. "I thought you didn't want that."

Bucky frowned and pulled back so he could see Tony's face, though he kept his arms wrapped around the smaller man. "What made you think that?"

"You didn't want Steve to know."

Bucky blinked and then remembered back to the first time he'd seen Tony after the whole Siberia thing.

"That… that was just for that first time," he murmured. "I didn't want him bursting into the castle lab at Wakanda, demanding to talk to you. He'd been relentless about getting home to talk to you and I didn't want him to chase you off!"

"You… why did you think I kept booking hotels?" Tony asked, looking and feeling completely confused.

"I thought… Well. I guess I thought you didn't want anyone to know?" Bucky replied, the words sounding more like a question than an answer.

Tony stared at him for a long moment before he laughed. "We're a pair of idiots."

Bucky snorted but pulled Tony back to his chest. "No more hotels?"

"No more hotels," Tony confirmed, pressing a kiss to Bucky's neck, where he was nuzzling his face.


	66. TonyPepper 4

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Written for Auction Prompt - D28/4: Farm!AU**

 **Word Count** \- 512

* * *

 **The Simple Life**

* * *

 _Maybe I should take a page out of Barton's book. Build Pepper a farm, hope nobody blows it up._

Tony sat on the porch, a cup of coffee and the paper laid out on the table at his side. He watched the horses grazing in the closest field and smiled to himself. When he'd told Rogers that he was planning to maybe build Pepper a farm, he'd been mostly bullshitting.

He hadn't thought himself or her the types for that kind of life but… here he was, three years later, and he was—heaven forbid—actually happy.

"Tony?"

He turned to see Pepper standing by the back door. She looked beautiful, dressed simply in jeans and a plain t-shirt. What really stood out to Tony was the relaxed stance, the soft easy smile, the twinkle in her eyes.

"What's up, Pep?"

"You gonna come riding with me?"

Tony thought about the things he could—probably should—be doing instead, and nodded. "Sounds great, Pep. Ten minutes?"

She nodded.

He grinned at her and she moved back inside.

Their farm was functioning, though they had a couple of workers from the nearby village to take care of the day to day work. Both of them still had SI to deal with, and occasionally, Tony would get a request for gear from the Avengers.

It was a much simpler life, though certainly not easier, but Tony loved it.

He drained his coffee and smiled to himself before he followed in the direction Pepper had gone to don his riding gear.

…

"I can't believe you actually did it," Steve said, strolling through the fields at Tony's side. "I didn't expect—well."

"Neither did I, when I said it," Tony admitted. "Since at that time, Pep and I were on the verge of breaking up."

Steve frowned. "Then why did you leave the team?"

"Guilt," Tony said simply. "What happened with Ultron, what I did… I couldn't handle the guilt of it and it was _eating_ at me. I had to just… separate from all of it for a while, you know?"

"It wasn't all on you," Steve said after a moment. "And I don't think I ever really expressed that, did I?"

Tony shrugged. "It's in the past now. I made up for it as much as I could and… I'll always carry some guilt from that, but I had to learn how to move on from it."

"I'm glad you're settled here, Tony. Oddly, it suits you."

Tony grinned. "So what brought you all the way out here? You don't normally make social visits."

Steve winced a bit at that. "Maybe I should. I… just wanted to see how you were doing, I guess."

Raising his eyebrow, Tony nodded. They both knew Tony didn't believe a word of it, but he let it go. A small part of him was curious, but a bigger part told him that if he pushed, he'd be tugged back into the life he'd moved on from.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to the horses.

 _Steve climbed back onto his bike, hours later, and smiled softly to himself. The Avenger membership he'd intended to hand over was still in his pocket._


	67. TonySteve 19

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Written for Auction Prompt - D28/2. Multiverse**

 **Word Count** \- 551

* * *

 **Multiples Of You (I Have The Best One)**

* * *

"This is fucking nuts," Tony muttered. "I swear to god, someone needs to put a fucking leash on Reed."

"Or they could just lock him in a room somewhere and lose the key," Bruce grumbled, bent over the microscope on the lab table. "That would also work."

"Would it though?" Tony asked, rubbing his temple. "I think that man could end the world from an empty room before midday personally. He's just that much of an idiot."

"Fair," Bruce agreed, stepping back from the microscope. "I need to take a break, I can't focus."

Tony nodded. "I'll just… stay here."

"Come on," Bruce said, throwing his arm over Tony's shoulder. "I'll protect you from… them."

…

Tony stopped at the entrance to the common room of the Avengers floor. "Are there more of them? Are they still arriving?"

"Fucking Reed," Bruce growled.

"Tony?"

Tony closed his eyes. He was used to his name falling from those lips, he spent a lot of time with Steve after all but… he wasn't used to it being echoed by thirty five different Steve's from thirty five different fucking universes.

"I'm gonna kill him," he muttered. "I'm actually just going to go and put a bullet in him."

Bruce laughed and tugged Tony over to the kitchen. At least twelve of the Steve's followed behind like lost puppies.

"Okay, which one is my Steve?" Tony asked tiredly, eyeing them all.

"He's in his room," Clint said quietly, passing Tony a coffee. "He's very confused by… all of this."

Tony nodded slowly. "Understandable. But I need him so… JARVIS? Can you tell Steve—my Steve—that I need him."

"Of course, Sir."

"Can I get you anything to eat, Tony?" One of the Steve's asked.

"How about I help you to bed?" Another asked eagerly. "You look tired."

What followed was a cacophony of offers to do things for Tony and he shook his head. Eventually, Nat whistled loudly.

"Enough!" she shouted. "All of you, back to the living room!"

A few of them looked like they were going to argue, but Nat's glare must have been scary in every universe because they all removed themselves from Tony's space pretty quickly.

Just in time for Tony's Steve to enter the kitchen.

Tony made grabby hands for him immediately. "I need a cuddle," he demanded.

Steve smiled, and moved forwards, circling Tony's waist with his arms as soon as he was in reaching distance. "Are you okay, baby?"

"Bruce won't let me kill Reed," Tony pouted, resting his head against Steve's chest. "I really, really wanna kill Reed."

"Probably no murder, Sweetheart," Steve murmured. "But how about we go put the penthouse on lockdown and relax, hmm?"

Tony grumbled but nodded. Steve picked him up as though he weighed nothing and strode through the living area.

"Why does he get to carry you around?" One of the Steve's demanded. "You don't ever let me do that!"

"That's cause you're not my Steve, and your Tony mustn't like it," Tony replied smugly as Steve stepped into the elevator.

…

By the time Steve was done helping Tony relax, Bruce had had a breakthrough, and with Reed, had managed to send all the other Steve's back to their universes.

Tony snuggled close.

"Always knew I had the best Steve," he muttered.


	68. Tony&Steve 6

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Written for Auction Prompt - D30/4 -** **"I never want to see you again."**

 **Word Count** \- 388

* * *

 **Done**

* * *

He didn't even notice he was doing it most of the time. It wasn't a conscious choice to look for Steve whenever he did something cool or good, but he did it regardless. The rest of the team noticed before he did, and they teased him for it.

It was good natured but it still stung occasionally.

He tried to stop, he really did, and he thought he had. He made an effort to not seek Steve's approval especially in the field.

But then Rhodey called him out on it. It was in private of course, and Rhodey had concern written all over his face when he asked about it.

Tony denied it, because what the hell else was he supposed to do?

Even Pepper noticed it. Late at night, Tony couldn't help but wonder if it was part of the reason she'd broken up with him in the end.

He tried not to dwell on it, tried to continue his life, but then then Ultron happened, and Steve looked at him with such disgust that Tony thought he physically felt his heart crack in his chest.

So he left.

And when the accords came knocking on his door, he signed them, because Steve would want him too, right? Accountability, it was right up the super soldier's alley.

Except it wasn't and he'd done the wrong thing in Steve's eyes yet again. He just couldn't win, no matter what he did.

He told himself he didn't care, but he still went to the raft, and he still followed Sam's directions because he just wanted to help.

That's all he wanted.

The video shattered Tony from the inside out.

The vibranium shattered him from the outside in.

"Tony please, I just want to talk to you!" Steve begged.

They'd been back in the US for only a matter of hours when the man had searched Tony out, pleading with him to listen.

Tony considered it, he really did. Finally, he wasn't the one in the wrong, and maybe now, Steve wouldn't be so judgemental.

He almost gave in.

Almost.

"I never want to see you again," Tony muttered, turning away. He'd tried, for so many years, to get Steve's approval, to see that small smile that rarely showed, to feel a warm hand on his shoulder.

He was done.


	69. SteveTonyBucky 5

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 3201

* * *

 **Bad Timing**

* * *

"Sorry, Snowflake," Tony said, glancing up from his tablet. "I agree with Cap on this one, you're not field ready yet."

Bucky huffed, refusing to meet Tony's eyes, and the genius rolled his own and shrugged, leaving the gym. If Bucky was going to be childish, Tony had better things to be getting on with. Bucky would get over his disappointment eventually, and it shouldn't be too much longer before Tony could entirely replace the arm that was stopping Bucky's progress.

Maybe when Bucky could join them on missions, he'd be happier. Not that the man was particularly unhappy most of the time, but this was a recurring happening that made him pout for a few days every time.

Tony let himself into his workshop and pulled up the specs for Bucky's arm. He had enough time now to do a little more work on it.

…

Bucky glared at Steve silently, until the other Super Soldier rolled his eyes.

"Alright, Buck, lemme have it," he said, slumping down on the sofa beside Bucky and tugging him close.

"Sending Tony to check the footage was a sneaky trick," Bucky said, his brow furrowed. "Using two against one isn't fair, Steve!"

"Buck—"

"No! Sometimes, I wish we hadn't brought him into our relationship at all!" Bucky snapped, folding his arms over his chest.

Steve's eyes widened for a moment but he caught the look of horror in Bucky's own eyes and he raised his eyebrow. "You don't mean that."

"No, I don't," Bucky admitted. "But dammit, Steve. When you say it, I can pretend it's just because you're an overprotective jackass. When Tony says it, I know he means it when he says that I'm not field ready, because as protective as he is, he really wants me out in the field to help keep an eye on your reckless ass."

Steve nodded. "I get it, Buck, I do. Tony will have something for you soon, and as soon as he can get that done, you'll be able to start joining us. You've just got to be a little patient is all."

"I know," Bucky muttered. "Can we go sit down in the workshop with him. I haven't seen him much the last couple of days, I miss him."

Steve nodded. "Of course."

…

Tired but pleased with the progress he'd made on Bucky's arm, Tony was about to enter the living room, when he heard Bucky and Steve.

" _Buck—"_

" _No! Sometimes, I wish we hadn't brought him into our relationship at all!"_

Tony stumbled back from the door and stepped back into the elevator, instructing JARVIS to take him back down to the workshop.

"Blackout, J. And ignore any override codes."

"Sir—"

"No. Alpha Override 2343949432."

 _I wish we hadn't brought him into our relationship at all._

The words echoed in Tony's mind as he locked himself away in the workshop. What had he done wrong? He didn't understand, he'd thought he was doing well. He'd done everything that Pepper told him he should do in a relationship.

He made time for them, even when he was busy. He didn't lead with his money, he didn't try and buy them, he showed them affection and took an interest in things they liked doing.

"Prep the suit, J. I need to get out of here."

"Sir, if I may—"

"J, _please_. I just… I just need a minute, okay?"

"Yes, Sir."

…

"Let us in, J.A.R.V.I.S," Steve requested, when the door to the workshop didn't open automatically like it usually did.

"Sir has placed the workshop on Blackout, Captain Rogers."

Bucky frowned at the chilly vibe he got from the AI, and the way Steve blinked in confusion, he thought he wasn't the only one.

"J?" Bucky asked. "Is something going on?"

There was a silence, as though the AI was weighing his words carefully, before he replied, "Sir has actually vacated the premises. You will have to speak to him upon his return."

Identical frowns on their faces, Bucky and Steve climbed back into the elevator and pressed the button for the common floor.

"Ever feel like you're missing something, Buck?" Steve asked.

Bucky snorted. "All the time but… something is going on. I don't like it, whatever it is."

…

Clint stopped in the doorway, looking at Bucky and Steve with confusion.

"What?" Bucky snapped, temper always close to the surface at the moment.

"The two of you have been moping around the place for close to three weeks while Tony's been gone, and now he's back, you're not even going to see him? _Weak_."

"Tony's back?" Steve asked, dropping the paper he'd been looking at onto the table top. "Since when?"

"I saw him about half an hour ago," Clint replied, shrugging. "So, since at least half an hour ago."

The two of the stood up simultaneously, but they were saved the trip to the workshop when Tony swanned into the room, his sunglasses fixed over his eyes despite the fact that he was inside.

"Where have you been?" Steve asked, leaning on the table. He'd reached out to Tony as the genius walked past, but Tony had skirted his reach as he made a beeline for the coffee pot.

"Uh… France," Tony replied, sounding distracted and uninterested. "Travelling is a necessary evil of my job, Cap. You know that."

"France, huh? Must have been nice," Bucky muttered, sarcasm his default when he was hurt or confused. He saw the look Steve shot him but he didn't particularly care. He didn't understand the way Tony was acting.

He'd barely even looked at them since he'd walked into the room.

"Hotel was ritzy as all get out," Tony replied, either ignoring the sarcasm, or so distracted that he hadn't even heard it.

"Sir, Miss Potts is calling," J.A.R.V.I.S announced, before they could say anything else.

Tony waved his hand for the call to connect, and grinned when Pepper's voice filtered into the kitchen.

"Tony, why have you been back in the tower for an hour and I haven't seen you yet?" she asked, her tone fond and amused.

"I'm on my way, Pepper-pot," Tony replied cheerfully. "I just stopped off at the workshop to see the kids, and then the kitchen to get coffee. The French do a lot of great things—coffee is not one of them."

"I thought you liked that one—"

"Not as good as American coffee, Pep. Don't make me give you the lecture again."

She snorted. "I'll see you in ten minutes, okay?"

"You'll see me in less," Tony promised, before he ended the call.

He poured coffee into the Iron Man travel mug Rhodey had bought him as a gag-gift that he'd loved and strode back out of the kitchen, waving his hand at the soldiers as though they were nothing more than teammates.

"Uh. That was… different," Steve said, rubbing a hand over his face.

"That was _awful,_ " Bucky corrected. "What the actual fuck is going on, Stevie?"

Steve shook his head. "I got nothing, Buck."

…

"You're a lifesaver," Tony said, stepping into Pepper's office a few minutes later. "I love you."

"Uh huh. You know you're going to have to deal with this at some point, right?"

Tony scowled. "I disagree."

"Steve and Bucky aren't just going to let you pretend like nothing ever happened. You know them better than that, Tones."

"Bucky's the one that said he didn't want me in their relationship, Pep. Is it so bad that I'm trying to give them what they want?"

"I think communication needs to be something that you learn," Pepper replied flatly. "Because you've got no context. I know it sounded bad, Tones, I get it, but… you've got to give them a chance to explain—or apologise."

"I don't want to do the whole doomed relationship talk," Tony admitted. "This way hurts less."

"Does it?"

Tony snorted and didn't reply because no… no it really fucking didn't.

…

Tony punched another doombot away and muttered under his breath about quantity over quality. It was a regular complaint when dealing with Doom, but no matter how many times they fought him, he always came back for more.

Apparently, the Avengers were more 'fun' than the Fantastic Four.

Because they all needed more fun loving villains in their lives. Obviously.

"I'm about done up here," he announced, turning back to where the team were fighting the ones on the ground. "Where do you want me, Cap?"

"Down here would be good," Steve panted into the comms. Tony frowned, but flew towards where Cap was stationed. His eyes widened when he took in the sheer number of doombots surrounding him.

"Jesus," he muttered, flying down, his beam on full power as he blasted a path through them. He was a blue of crimson and gold as he flew through the crowd of silver robots, but he wasn't quite fast enough.

As he shouted "Steve, look out!" one of the bots impaled the Captain on a particularly vicious piece of steel.

"We need medical down here," Tony demanded, as he blasted the remaining bots on his way to Steve's side.

Tony flipped his mask as he reached the Captain, checking the wound. Thankfully, it had caught Steve in his side, but it looked damn awful, and Steve's face was screwed up in pain.

"Medic's can't get the van through," Nat said, worry threading her tone. "Can you carry him out, Tony?"

"Yup," Tony replied, bending down. "This might hurt a little bit, Cap, but I'm gonna get you to the medic's, okay?"

"I trust you, Tony," Steve slurred, his usually bright blue eyes dull.

Carefully, so carefully, Tony picked Steve up and told J.A.R.V.I.S to get them to the tower, where Medical was waiting for them.

"You'll be okay, Cap."

…

"What are you still doing here?" Bucky demanded, when he burst into the medical wing a few minutes after the doctors had gotten Steve stabilised.

He looked furious and Tony recoiled from the anger in his eyes. "I just wanted to make sure he was okay."

Bucky snorted derisively. "Like you care. You haven't given him the time of day for weeks! Hell, you pretend like we don't exist most of the time. Don't pretend—"

"I was trying to make it easier on everyone," Tony snarled.

"What, you decided that we weren't good enough for you anymore and rather than you know, actually telling us—"

"Fuck you," Tony murmured. "You're the one who didn't want _me._ "

Bucky blinked. "What?"

"'I wish we hadn't brought him into our relationship at all,'" Tony repeated Bucky's words from so long ago, his hands shaking. "I heard you, so I left, because I thought it would be easier on everyone, so fuck you for saying I don't care about him."

Tony slammed out of the room, ignoring Bucky's voice calling for him to come back. He knew he wouldn't be able to settle to anything in the workshop, so he made his way up to the penthouse, warning J.A.R.V.I.S that he didn't want any visitors.

He wasn't even angry anymore, just hurt. He wanted space to lick his wounds in peace.

…

A few hours later, J.A.R.V.I.S gave him the news that Steve was okay, would be fine in a couple of days, and that Pepper wanted to speak to him. Ignoring the wave of relief he felt about Steve, he patched a call through to Pepper.

"Your ability to be oblivious transcends even my expectations," she said, in lieu of a greeting.

"Hmm?"

"You need to speak to your soldiers, Tones."

"They're not mine anymore, Pep."

"But they could be, if you'd stop being so bloody stubborn," she replied with a sigh. "There's been a misunderstanding, Tones. Just listen to them."

"Even if you're right and there was a misunderstanding _this time,_ it doesn't really change anything, Pep. Being in a relationship doesn't really suit me. I'm not good at it."

"I think you're pretty great at it, actually."

"Is this where I remind you that you broke up with me?" Tony asked, rolling his eyes fondly.

"Tony, the only reason I broke up with you, was that I can't handle being 'Iron Mans' girlfriend. It was nothing to do with Tony, and everything to do with the danger you were put in every time the Avenger's alert sounded. You were a great boyfriend."

"Even with the rabbit?"

She laughed. "We don't talk about the rabbit, Tones."

Tony chuckled. "Ahhh, I forget how thankful I am for you sometimes, Pep."

"Just… talk to them."

"Uh huh. Will that be all, Miss Potts?"

"That will be all, Mr Stark."

They hung up, and Tony leant back against the plush cushions on his sofa. He thought about what Pepper said, about it being a misunderstanding, but it was hard to believe it when he could still hear Bucky's words so clearly.

It was hard, he thought, to go to them and admit that he'd run away rather than deal with the situation at the time, but he thought he was probably going to have to do just that.

Maybe when Steve was healed though. The last thing Tony wanted to do was stress Steve out while he was healing.

He'd wait, he decided with a nod. No more impulsive decisions, even though impulsive was what he was best at.

Time to pull his big boy pants on and be an adult. Ugh. Just the thought was enough to give him hives.

…

"I chased him away, Stevie," Bucky admitted. He'd just finished stumbling over an explanation of what had happened while Steve had been unconscious.

Steve squeezed his hands. "I think we all could have done better with this, Buck."

"It's my fault though. He heard me, when I said I wish we hadn't brought him in. I didn't mean it, Steve, I swear I didn't—"

"I know, Buck. I know. And Tony will know too, okay? We'll find a way to make him listen to us, and we'll get this cleared up."

Bucky nodded and leant his head on the hospital bed Steve was still splayed out on.

"You should go and get some sleep," Steve said, running a hand over Bucky's head, trailing his fingers through Bucky's hair.

"Can't sleep on my own," Bucky grumbled.

"Come up here then," Steve said, shifting over on the bed, wincing when the movement jostled his side. "Come on."

"Steve—"

"Nope. Come on, Buck. Stop trying to punish yourself, you're being ridiculous. We'll fix this, okay?"

"Okay."

…

"Sir, Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes are requesting entrance."

Tony looked up at the door and sure enough, the two super soldiers were standing on the other side of the glass.

"Let 'em in, J," he muttered, turning his attention back to the silver plate he was cleaning. He wanted it to _glisten._ That, or he just really needed something to do with his hands so they wouldn't shake noticeably.

"Tony," Steve said, smiling softly. "Look at us, please."

Taking a deep breath, Tony looked up and froze. They were so _beautiful._ Honestly, it took all he had to stop himself from getting down on his knees and begging them to let him worship them.

"How's your side?" he asked instead, nodding to where the injury had been.

"All healed," Steve assured him. "I thought it was about time we talked about what the hell is going on with us."

"What you heard, it wasn't what you thought," Bucky said, his eyes pleading with Tony.

Tony shook his head. "Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying," Bucky promised. "Tony, I was sulking because you and Stevie both said I wasn't field ready. That's all it was. Almost as soon as I said that I took it back. J.A.R.V.I.S can play you the full conversation. Tony, I didn't mean it, I swear!"

"Okay," Tony said, for lack of anything more to say. He believed Bucky, but he didn't honestly think that it changed much.

"Tony, we love you. We're a mess without you, just ask Clint, or Nat or Bruce. When you left, I'm pretty sure we made them hate us, at least a little bit. We were worried, and then Pepper told us you'd gone out on SI work, and we couldn't work out why you were ignoring our calls or texts or why you hadn't told us. And then, when you came back…" Steve trailed off, his hurt visible in his features.

"You know that if—and we won't ever but if—we were going to break up with you, we'd tell you ourselves," Bucky said, cautiously reaching his hand out to press it against Tony's cheek. Tony leaned into the touch before he could stop himself.

"I'm sorry," Tony muttered. "I guess I just wanted to avoid _that_ conversation. I didn't want to listen to the two of you tell me that you'd made a mistake. That I was a mistake. I can't… I can't hear that from you. I'd rather just… not deal with it."

Seemingly unable to hold himself back any longer, Steve stepped forwards and surrounded Tony, pulling him into a tight hug.

"You won't ever, _ever,_ be a mistake to us," he promised. "We love you, Tony."

Tony stared at him for a long moment. "I love you too. Both of you. I'm sorry I ran away."

Steve passed Tony from his own arms into Bucky's, and Tony clutched at him for a moment before he pulled back.

"So, uh, being in France without much entertainment… I finished your arm." He held up the silver plate he'd been cleaning. "It's ready to be replaced whenever you are. You'll be good to go into the field, Buck."

Bucky swallowed hard. "Even after…"

Tony gestured to the desk. "Let me show you?"

"Anything you want, sweetheart," Steve murmured, stepping up behind Tony and resting his hand on Tony's shoulder. A moment later, and Bucky did the same.

…

Bucky woke up with a start, his heart pacing in his chest, his muscles frozen as his mind tried to catch up with the fact that it had just been a nightmare. He wasn't back in Cryo.

"Hey," a soft voice said from his left. "You're okay, Buck."

Bucky turned to see Tony watching him with a small smile. His left cheek had a dimple that never failed to make Bucky swoon, and there was a dim glow from the reactor hidden beneath the blanket.

Forcing his limbs to move, Bucky turned over and shifted closer to Tony, letting the genius comfort him.

"M'sorry, Tony," he whispered. "Never… never want you to go. Don't like it when you're not here."

"Not going anywhere, Buck. I'm right here," Tony murmured, running a soothing hand through his hair. On Tony's other side, Steve shifted, and wrapped his arm over both of them, pressing Tony even tighter between them.

"You good, Buck?" he asked, sleep making his voice husky.

"Yeah," Bucky replied, nuzzling Tony's neck. "Yeah, I'm good."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - S3. Someone flying

Trope of the month - 7. Worship

Space - 2. Venus - Lovers

Book Club - Maya - Sarcastic / Dimple / Furious

Showtime - 38. Hurt

Amber's Attic - 24. "Where have you been?" / "Uh… France."

Angel's Arcade - Tracer - Blinking in confusion / Sunglasses / Fun Loving

Scamander's Case - 9. Flying

Film Festival - 14. Transcend

Marvel - Power Stone - 2. Punching someone

Days Of the Year - 72. World Gratitude Day - Being grateful for something or someone

Summer - 2. Travelling

Colour - 7. Gold

Element - 10. Glow

Gryffindor; Trait - 6. Impulsive

Funfair North - How many things - Jar of Beads - "Don't lie to me."

Funfair East - Pie Eating - Pumpkin - Crimson

Funfair South - Test your Strength - God: Silver

Pop Figure - Nico Minoru - 4. Cleaning

365\. 132. Glisten

1000\. 49. Ritzy


	70. TonySteve 20

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Word Count** \- 1032

 **Pairing** \- TonySteve

* * *

 **Always Welcome**

* * *

Steve couldn't sleep. The thunderstorm raging on outside was loud enough that it penetrated even the triple glazed glass that Tony had installed in the tower.

Giving up on sleep, Steve left his room for the common floor, hoping to find some company. Though he didn't need as much sleep as a baseline human, he often slept a full eight hours, if only so he didn't have too much time at night by himself.

The elevator doors opened to reveal that the common room was indeed occupied, though Steve was surprised by the occupant. Tony was still usually closed up in his workshop at this time.

Nearing the sofa, Steve frowned when he realised that Tony was curled up in a ball, shaking.

"Tony?"

Tony released a small whine, and his shaking intensified for a moment as he looked up at Steve.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked, approaching the sofa like one would a scared animal.

"M'fine," Tony forced out.

"You're… you're clearly not," Steve said quietly. He sat down on the sofa beside Tony and slowly reached out. Tony flinched minutely at the touch, but then immediately leant into Steve's touch.

Emboldened, Steve tugged Tony until he was sitting firmly on Steve's lap, wrapped up in the strong, serum enhanced arms. He ran a steady hand up and down Tony's arm until the man relaxed a little.

"I don't like thunderstorms," Tony whispered, into the hollow of Steve's throat. "Haven't since I was a kid."

Steve simply tightened his arms slightly. "You're okay," he murmured softly. "I won't let anything happen to you."

Tony relaxed further against Steve's chest, and Steve took a moment to appreciate just how good the weight of the smaller man felt, how well he fit in Steve's arms.

They sat in comfortable quiet, the only sounds coming from the storm raging outside and the tv, which was on low enough that it could be ignored.

Tony seemed to get heavier, and when Steve looked down, it was to find Tony had fallen asleep against his chest. He thought about stretching Tony out on the couch, but he didn't want to disturb him.

And quite honestly, Steve was utterly comfortable with Tony laid against him. Running his hand gently down Tony's back, Steve let his own eyes fall shut as he focused on Tony's even breathing.

…

They didn't talk about it afterwards. Steve woke up in the morning to see the sun peeking out from behind fluffy clouds and Tony nowhere to be found.

Nothing changed, they remained the best of friends and Steve tried to put the night out of his mind.

It was difficult though. Steve had never felt so rested when he woke up as he did on that morning, and he thought it had everything to do with having Tony sleep against him.

He didn't mention it though. Tony could often be hard to approach about sensitive subjects, and he was a landmine of triggers that Steve didn't want to put any pressure on him. If Tony was more comfortable pretending it didn't happen, then so be it.

…

Steve wondered if he should go to the common area. The storm had been rumbling for about half an hour, but it wasn't overly loud. Would it be a waste of time to go and hope Tony would show up?

He lay on his bed, pondering the best course of action, when a knock sounded on the door.

Hopeful, Steve got up and padded over to the door, opening it to find Tony standing there, already wearing pyjamas and playing with a loose thread on the bottom of his t-shirt.

"I, uh—"

"Come in," Steve murmured, stepping to the side to let Tony into the room. He closed the door with a gentle snick and herded the nervous looking Tony over to the bed.

"Lay down, sweetheart," he said softly, voice little more than a whisper.

Tony did so silently, curling onto his side. Steve climbed back into bed, curling his own body around Tony's.

"Thanks," Tony whispered.

"Anytime," Steve promised.

Even though Tony wasn't lay _on_ him this time, it had the same effect on Steve. Just the presence of Tony in his arms was enough for a sense of contentment to just… overwhelm him.

…

When Steve woke the following morning, Tony was once again gone from his arms. This time though, Steve didn't leave it alone. He made breakfast and then took it with him down to the workshop, after checking with J.A.R.V.I.S that the genius wasn't on lockdown.

"Hey Steve."

Steve placed the plate down on the bench top and smiled at Tony. "You left early this morning, I thought you might be hungry."

To Steve's surprise, Tony blushed. "Thanks."

"You… you could have stayed, you know? You didn't have to… leave."

The pink colouring Tony's cheeks intensified and he ducked his head. Steve took a step closer and put his hand on Tony's chin gently, lifting his head.

"You should have stayed."

Tony blinked up at him, brown eyes wide and confused.

Steve pressed forwards a little more, and bent his head, pressing a gentle kiss to Tony's lips.

"I should have stayed," Tony agreed a little unsteadily, when Steve pulled back.

Steve brushed the hair from Tony's forehead. "You don't have to wait for a thunderstorm to come and see me, you know? You'll be welcome, Tony. You'll always be welcome."

Steve left the workshop then. He could feel Tony's eyes burning into his back until he stepped out of sight.

…

He was nervous. He didn't really know where he'd gotten his confidence from that morning, but sitting in the living room, his eyes on the tv screen though he had no idea what he was watching, the nerves were really building.

Would Tony join him here? Would he wait until Steve went to his bedroom? Should he go to his bedroom—

Tony stepped out of the elevator and silently crossed the room. He looked down at Steve, biting his lip. Steve held one hand out to him and Tony smiled.

"Still welcome?" he asked, putting his hand into Steve's.

Steve tugged Tony down into his lap. "Always."


	71. Tony-Centric 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 491

 **Warning** \- Vaguely suicidal thoughts.

 **Character** \- Tony-Centric

* * *

 **Another Birthday**

* * *

Being alone on his birthday was nothing new to Tony. He'd spent a lot of his birthdays alone, and at least half of the ones he hadn't been alone, he wished he had with hindsight.

It didn't really bother him, except for when it did. This year, it did, because he shouldn't be alone. If it wasn't for the 'Civil War' his team would be with him.

If it wasn't for his argument with Cap, he'd be enjoying a ridiculous pink frosted cake and gaudy presents and his team, his family, being assholes about him getting old.

He'd never wanted to delete a year of his life as much as he wanted to delete this last one. Not even the year he got held captive in Afghanistan when his only gift was Yinsen telling him not to give up.

" _Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder."_

Well, no shit, Sherlock.

Tony still sometimes wished that he _had_ died in that cave. His life since then had been such a shit-show that he sometimes thought it would have been a blessing.

He thought about his last birthday, when they'd all turned up at Avenger's tower, Clint's family in tow, Rhodey and Pepper and Happy all there too with wide smiles on their faces as they hugged him and wished him a happy birthday.

When they were all there to celebrate the fact that Tony existed.

It wasn't really a shock that he'd only had that once before it was all fucked up. It was bittersweet, in a way, that he'd had that one good birthday before his world turned on it's head again. At least it was a nice memory to tide him over, right?

Except Tony almost wished he didn't have it at all, because what use was it when he knew it would never happen again?

Tony stared at the alcohol cabinet for a long time and then shook his head. He'd been doing well; nine months sober, almost ten months. This… it wasn't worth giving up his hard work over. It was just a birthday and really, he was getting too old to celebrate adding another year to the ever growing number.

He kinda wished he could start counting backwards instead. Maybe if he had a do-over, he wouldn't make so many mistakes.

Rubbing a hand over his face, Tony snorted. "Sufficient enough pity party," he told himself, glancing over at Dummy and U. "Time to get to work, boys."

He'd do what he did best and he'd spend his birthday creating. He'd spend the day with his boys, and his girl FRIDAY, and…

He'd put the rest out of his mind. They didn't belong there, these days.

Nobody did.

…

 _Happy Birthday, Tony. I miss you._

He stared at the text message for a long time, before he shoved the burner phone back in his pocket. He didn't have time for whatever game Steve was trying to start up now. He didn't need empty words that did nothing but make him hurt more.

He had things he still needed to accomplish before he could stop having birthdays, and wishing for things that would never be wouldn't help him with that.

Tony still had work to do. He still had red to be cleared from his ledger. He couldn't help but wonder if his hands would ever be clean enough for him to finally rest.

He couldn't help but hope that it wouldn't take too many more birthdays.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 26. Birthday

Amber's Attic - 8. "Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder."

Funfair, North - Photo Booth - Doctor Who - 3. Cybermen Cutout: Delete

Funfair, East - Pie Eating - Blackberry - Sufficient

Funfair, South - Guess The Name - Tonks - Pink

365\. 201. Bittersweet


	72. TonyLoki

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 _Written for the lovely Ari, who is Team Iron Man all the way, doesn't like Steve, and requested TonyLoki. (That should tell y'all how this is going to go, but fair warning, this fic is not team Cap friendly)_

 **Word Count** \- 1958

* * *

 **Call Me By My Name**

* * *

"And how are you going to do that?" Steve demanded, holding up the Wakandan made shield in front of him just in time as bullets rebounded from it sharply.

"Faith, trust and pixie dust," Tony announced, his inimitable cheer met with silence on the comms.

"He's finally lost his fucking mind," Clint muttered, even as Rhodey lost his battle with laughter and chortled loudly.

There was a shimmer beside Tony and Steve let out a yell of surprise as Loki appeared, his lips already set in a smirk.

"You called?" he said, raising his eyebrow at Tony.

Tony snorted. "Of course you were listening."

"I did warn you that I would be, in case you got yourself into any trouble."

"Well, now that you're here, make yourself useful and help me dismantle this, would ya?" Tony said, pointing to the device that had been powering the robots currently attacking them.

"What the bloody hell is going on?" Steve demanded, glaring at Loki and Tony.

Tony rolled his eyes. "You were informed that Thor and Loki were back, were you not? And that Loki had been signed on as a consultant?"

"Yes, but—"

"Then why are you asking such stupid questions?"

…

Tony walked into the after action debrief and rolled his eyes when he saw the 'rogue' Avengers crowded around Steve, muttering quietly amongst themselves.

You didn't have to be a genius to know that the subject of that particular conversation was currently walking at Tony's side.

"They don't like me very much," Loki whispered gleefully.

Tony snorted. "They don't like anything that doesn't fit into their idea of 'good' very much, so don't think yourself special. It's a very big club."

Rhodey strode in a moment later, and Carol, Thor and Bruce brought up the rear.

"Are we all here? Good," Rhodey said, not waiting for anyone to answer. He handed out the forms the accords required to be filled in and took a seat at the head of the table.

Tony noticed Steve was eyeing him resentfully, and a jolt of amusement ran through him. He did so enjoy watching Steve not get his own way. It was one of the few pleasures the rogues had brought him since their return.

"I want it noted that I dislike the idea of Loki 'spying' on the team," Steve said immediately, holding his pen so tightly in his hand that Tony was a little impressed it hadn't already snapped.

Rhodey frowned. "Loki wasn't spying on the team. He was keeping an eye on Tony, as he always does, because he's a goddamn mother hen."

Tony snorted.

"I resent that, Colonel," Loki said.

"You resemble it, you mean?" Tony teased.

"I'm not a mother hen!"

"You kind of are, Loki," Carol put in, smiling. "It's cute, how much you worry about him."

"If he didn't attract trouble so much—"

"Do you mind?" Steve demanded. "I'm raising an important point here!"

Tony rolled his eyes. "And it's been explained. Loki wasn't spying on you guys, so don't sweat it."

"We don't want to work with him," Clint snarled, eyes flashing angrily. "I can't believe you'd even associate with him, after what he did to me!"

"He was under the same control you were," Tony said softly. "You can't hold it against him anymore than we can hold what you did at that time against you."

"What?"

"It was in the packets you got on the team when you got back," Rhodey said sharply. "The ones you were _told_ to read."

Clint had the decency to look away, while Tony rolled his eyes.

"No matter, we shouldn't have to work with someone we don't trust," Steve said, shaking his head as he rested a hand on Clint's shoulder in what was likely supposed to be a show of support.

"You expected Tony and I to work with Wanda," Bruce said, tilting his head to the side. "Neither of us trusted her, but we didn't get a choice in her being added to the team."

"That was different!"

"How?"

The single word, spoken quietly, seemed to fill the silence with a tension that was almost palpable.

Steve opened and closed his mouth a few times. "It just was."

"How?"

"We're not talking about Wanda, we're talking about Loki!"

"And you've been answered. If you don't like that answer, then you can either take it up with the accords council, who have already approved of Loki being a consultant, or you can retire."

"Are you threatening us?" Steve asked, glaring at Rhodey.

Rhodey shook his head. "I am not. I'm giving you your options. Now, does anyone else have any _legitimate_ concerns?"

And then, to Tony's amusement, the pen did snap, spraying Captain America with blue ink.

It was a good meeting.

…

"Do you… do my 'mother hen' tendencies annoy you?" Loki asked later, as the two sat on the balcony of the penthouse at Stark Tower.

When the Rogues had returned, Tony had relocated himself to the tower, rather than the compound. The last thing he needed was them hounding him constantly.

"No, of course not," Tony replied with a frown. "It's not like you smother me, Lococo. You just make sure I'm safe, how could that annoy me?"

"It was just… in the meeting—"

"Don't listen to any of them," Tony interrupted firmly. "If I had a problem with it, you can be sure that I'd tell you."

Loki chuckled. "That is true, you've never been shy about telling me off before."

"Exactly," Tony agreed happily.

They looked out over the horizon for a while a comfortable silence between them. Loki startled when Tony's head landed on his shoulder, and he looked down to the see the genius had fallen asleep.

He rolled his eyes fondly, and scooped Tony up, carrying him easily. There was a small noise of protest from Tony as he almost woke, but Loki hushed him gently and smiled slightly when Tony pressed his face against Loki's chest.

He was like a kitten. Except infinitely more dangerous.

…

"Tony, we need to talk. You can't keep avoiding me," Steve said, the sigh heavy in his tone.

"Ehhh, no we don't," Tony replied, never slowing his pace as he strode through the compound. Bruce had called him in to help on a project while he had a few spare hours, and he didn't have time to waste on a bridge he considered well and truly burned.

"You owe me a few minutes, Tony," Steve demanded, stepping in front of Tony.

Tony maneuvered around him skillfully. "I'm not interested in where _that_ crazy train is going."

"Tony!"

Tony slid through glass doors that had opened on his approach and slid shut behind him, blocking Steve out.

"You okay?" Bruce asked, looking up.

"Eh. Steve tried to push me into conversation. Apparently, I _owe_ him. I don't even want to know what's going on in his mind."

Bruce rolled his eyes. "He's definitely not satisfied with the way things have gone since they come back. I think… I think he expected everything just to fall back into the way it was _before."_

Tony shrugged. "Sucks to be him then."

Snorting, Bruce nodded. "How're things going with Loki?"

"What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean, Tony Stark."

"Oh, is that the material you were talking about," Tony said, side stepping Bruce to look at the black fabric on the table. "Awesome. Wow. Let's… do this?"

Bruce stared at him for a moment. "Uh huh. I see you avoiding me, Tony."

"Avoiding? Me? Don't know what you're talking about, Bruce. Now, about these stretchy pants for the Green Bean—"

…

"How goes your courtship of the Man Of Iron, Brother?" Thor asked, as the two sparred in the gym at Stark Tower.

Loki rolled his eyes. "It's not a courtship, for Odin's sake."

"The way you look at him speaks differently," Thor said, smiling as Loki blushed slightly. "I believe your fear of it being unrequited will not come to pass. Tony enjoys your company above almost all else."

"Perhaps," Loki agreed. "But I am quite satisfied with the relationship we currently share, Thor. There is no need to ruin things with hearts and flowers."

"I think Tony would much prefer precious gems and protective amulets over hearts and flowers," Thor replied.

Loki opened his mouth to chastise his brother's idiocy when he saw the twinkle in Thor's eyes and rolled his own.

"Tony is right about you, Brother," he said stiffly. "You are a _troll."_

…

"C'mere Rock of Ages," Tony said, slumping down beside Loki. "I need a pillow."

Loki chuckled. "I am a God, and you you spend much of your time reducing me to soft furnishings."

"You're comfortable," Tony replied, leaning in against Loki. "F.R.I baby, put a movie on, something that Reindeer Games hasn't seen."

"Will you ever call me by my name?" Loki asked, running his fingers through Tony's hair.

"Honestly? Probably not often," Tony admitted. "Does it really bother you?"

Loki shook his head. "Not particularly, although I hope you know that I'll consider it a challenge now."

"Challenge?"

"Uh huh. To make you say my name."

Tony chuckled tiredly. "Bring it on, Marauders Map."

"Map?"

"Mischief Managed."

…

Strange was putting Loki through his paces in the training room, the entire team sitting around the edge, watching. It was a new training idea, put in place by Rhodey, that once a fortnight, the whole team would spar together.

It was designed to both bring the team closer together, and learn each other's skills and weaknesses. So far, Tony hadn't had to face Steve and he was hoping to keep it that way, no matter that Steve kept heavily hinting that he wanted exactly that match up.

Tony didn't really understand why; sure, Steve had come out on top in Siberia, but Tony hadn't actually been trying to kill them, no matter what the super soldier told himself to make himself feel better.

"Come on Snowflake," Tony cheered, when Loki knocked Strange back and disappeared, using his illusions to his advantage.

"His name is Loki," Steve snarled.

Tony rolled his eyes.

…

"Holy fuck," Tony muttered. "Bambi, could use some back up over here!"

Loki arrived a second too late, and Tony was knocked from the sky. Loki followed after him quickly, catching him before he could hit the ground.

The faceplate snapped open to reveal Tony, a little worse for wear but alive and ultimately okay, and Loki lost it a little. He pushed forwards, pressing their lips together in a heated, panicked kiss.

"Are you okay?" he demanded, pulling back just enough to look at the genius in the metal suit.

"You've reached the life-like decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message," Tony replied, sounding slightly dazed.

Loki snorted. "Tony."

"I'm okay," Tony promised softly. "Could do with a hand back to the tower though. Is the fight done?"

"It is. Would you like to travel back on the jet, or should I have Doctor Strange get us a portal straight to the tower?"

"Tower," Tony said, closing his eyes briefly. "I can't… I don't want to deal with them all right now."

Loki nodded. "As you wish."

…

Loki spread Tony beneath him on the plush sheets of his bed. He was made to be there, Loki thought. It was as though he had been designed by the universe, specifically for Loki's pleasure.

And then, the icing on the cake—

"Loki," Tony murmured, his fingers digging into Loki's shoulder as Loki pressed kisses against Tony's neck.

"You used my name," Loki replied softly, amusement evident.

"Hmm. Special occasion," Tony said, grinning. "Don't get used to it."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - D1. "Faith, trust and pixie dust."

Showtime - 13. Wait For It: (word) inimitable

Attic - 21. "Awesome. Wow."

365\. 123. Bridge


	73. TonyT'Challa

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Word Count** \- 1889

 **Pairing - TonyT'Challa**

* * *

 **Defying Fate (I Love You)**

* * *

" _Did you know?"_

" _I didn't know it was him."_

" _Don't bullshit me, Rogers! Did you know?"_

" _Yes."_

…

" _He's my friend."_

" _So was I."_

…

 _The shield vibrated with the force that Steve slammed it down. The fight was over. He didn't look back._

…

" _...still discussing the disappearance of Tony Stark."_

Steve's heart sunk and he couldn't help but wish that Bucky was there with him. The two of them were the last to have seen the Iron Man pilot, though of course, nobody else knew that. The team were sitting in the comfortable living room T'Challa had given them, all eyes trained on the tv.

"It's been almost two weeks," Clint said quietly. "It's not like Stark to just disappear like this."

Wanda rolled her eyes. "He is probably holed up, sulking somewhere because he didn't get his own way."

"His own way with what, though?" Sam asked. "The last we knew, he was going to Siberia to try and help Steve and Bucky. Even though he had every reason to not want to."

Clint rubbed a hand over his face and turned to look at Steve. "He really just flew off after the argument? Nothing else happened?"

Steve swallowed hard and looked away. "I don't know what to tell you, Clint. I've got no idea where Stark is or why he's not gone back to New York."

"Well, at least we know he's alive," Sam said, leaning back in his chair. "It's not likely that he found his soulmate in the time it took to fly to and from Siberia, right?"

…

" _...the body of Tony Stark has been recovered from a bunker in Siberia. We are currently waiting on a statement from the CEO of Stark Industries, Virginia Potts."_

Steve froze as all eyes turned on him. The words were reverberating in his mind, and he couldn't focus on the words being thrown at him from his team. He could see their mouths moving, but all he could hear was " _the body of Tony Stark"_ echoing loudly on a loop.

Only soulmates could kill one another.

Death was possible by other means of course, old age, illness, natural causes could all take life, but murder… murder was only possible between soulmates.

It was a cruel twist of fate that had been around for millenia. While it didn't happen often, it was the subject of many a tragic novel.

" _The body of Tony Stark."_

The strength in Steve's legs seemed to evaporate and he fell to his knees. He knew it should have hurt, but he felt nothing. He could still feel the eyes of the team burning into him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at them.

"Flew away, did he?" Clint growled. "I think you need to re-remember what happened in that bunker, Captain."

"The body of Tony Stark."

Steve couldn't breathe. He'd killed Tony.

Tony was his soulmate.

…

" _... to issue a retraction. Tony Stark is alive and being treated in hospital for injuries."_

"He's alive," T'challa informed them.

"We just heard," Sam said, nodding to the tv. "How did they make that kind of mistake?"

T'Challa sighed. "There is a lot happening behind the scenes that the public does not need to be aware of. Suffice to say that Tony Stark has some very good friends."

Steve's heart was pounding in his chest. He didn't understand what any of it meant. Tony was alive, which was fantastic of course, but did that mean that they weren't soulmates?

Steve didn't know what to think about any of it. T'Challa was staring at him, and they was something… angry in his gaze.

"As long as nothing unexpected happens, he should make a full recovery given time to heal."

Clint and Sam nodded, both of them looking relieved.

"Thank you for telling us," Steve croaked out.

…

" _... The UN has issued pardons for the 'rogue' Avengers. We await news on their return."_

Steve couldn't believe that they could finally go home. Their time in Wakanda had been interesting, if not limiting, but he was beyond ready to return home. He tried to tell himself it was because he wanted to return to normal life, to the compound or to New York, but truly, it was none of the above.

Steve wanted to see Tony.

"The jet will take you straight to the New York Avengers Compound, where you'll be met by one of the current Avengers and a representative from the UN," T'Challa informed them, leading them out towards the jet.

Bucky walked beside Steve, silent and clearly nervous, if the way he was biting his lower lip was any indication.

They'd managed to remove the triggers from his mind, though Steve still didn't understand the science behind the technology they'd used, and he'd be forever grateful to T'Challa and Princess Shuri for their help.

He said as much, though T'Challa merely nodded and waved his hand towards the jet.

Steve took his seat and smiled at the team.

They were going home.

…

" _... Iron Man is pictured here, rescuing the men from the falling crane."_

They arrived at the compound to find two men standing in front of the tv, watching Tony pulling three men from a crane that was careening dangerously.

"Uh, hello," Steve said, standing at the front of the group.

The two men turned, and Steve blinked. One of them was suited normally in a steel grey suit with a tie, but the other was wearing an odd cloak, and had the oddest quiff to his hair. He was looking at them like he had a bad taste in his mouth too.

"Ah, you're here," the suited man said, offering them a wan smile. "I'm Mr Cobalt, I'm the UN Representative. If you'll all drop your things in your rooms and make your way to the meeting room, I'll be with you shortly.

Steve looked back at the tv for a moment and then sighed. He'd been hoping Tony would be there when they arrived. He nodded at Mr Cobalt, and led the way to the residential area of the compound, where they dropped their things in the rooms that held their names. Steve looked at the many other names on the other doors, intrigued and a little worried about the amount.

The Avengers had always worked better as a _small_ team, and with so many names, Steve couldn't imagine what the dynamic would be like with so many personalities.

"We should go and get this over," Sam said, standing in the doorway of Steve's room.

Steve nodded.

…

"Daddy's home!"

Steve spun around to see Tony walking into the main common area of the compound. He looked incredible, his eyes sparkling happily, a wide smile on his face. There was something different about him, that Steve couldn't put his finger on.

He watched as Dr Strange, the man who'd been at the compound when they'd arrived, grinned at Tony, and Spiderman, who'd arrived an hour earlier, leapt up to hug him.

Tony surprised Steve by hugging Spiderman back, murmuring something softly in his ear.

"Tony," Clint said, standing up.

Tony looked at him for a long moment before he smiled and held his arms out. Clint stepped forward and hugged him.

"It's really good to see you, man," Clint murmured. "I'm sorry."

"We all messed up, Legolas, I'm sorry too."

Clint stepped back, only to be replaced by Sam, who shared a manly hug and a brief moment with Tony before he returned to his seat.

Steve stood back, waiting for his moment. When Tony looked at him, the friendliness seemed to fall away.

"Rogers. Barnes."

His tone was flat and uninspired, almost like he genuinely didn't care about Steve at all. Beside Steve, Bucky nodded at Tony and thanked him quietly for working to get them back home.

Tony nodded and then turned away. "Where are Hope and Nat?"

"Something came up," Dr Strange said, rolling his eyes. "They'll be here later. With Pepper. And Christine."

Tony blinked. "That… sounds slightly terrifying. Didn't we agree that they weren't allowed to be together unsupervised?"

"Would you like to be the one to try and enforce that?" Strange asked and Clint snorted when Tony gave an exaggerated full body shiver.

Steve didn't know what to think. He felt cold inside, almost like the iciness coming off of Tony towards him had frozen his heart in his chest.

"Tony… can we talk for a minute?" Steve asked, nodding to the balcony.

Dr Strange stiffened and Tony glanced at him for a moment before he turned back and nodded to Steve.

"It's alright, Houdini," he murmured, squeezing Strange's shoulder as he walked past. "It'll just take a moment."

"Forgive me if you being near him makes me nervous after last time," Strange replied quietly.

Tony led the way to the balcony, and Steve followed, closing the door behind him quietly.

"I'm sorry," Steve said, after an awkward moment of silence. "For everything that happened, everything I did. When they said you were dead…. Tony…"

"Clearly I'm not dead, so," Tony shrugged. "You know the media likes to play shit up."

"Tony—"

"We're not going to do this. Whatever you were thinking, I'm alive, so we're _not_ soulmates. That's all you need to know."

Steve closed his eyes. He'd been wondering for months, but to hear it stated so firmly… it hurt in ways Steve could never have expected.

Tony left him on the balcony alone.

…

Steve frowned when he looked up from his sketchbook to see T'Challa striding through the compound. They'd been back for a week and he certainly hadn't expected to see the king of Wakanda so soon.

"Kitty-Kat!"

Steve startled when Tony's voice echoed through the room, and he watched, utterly confused, as T'Challa's face lit up with a smile.

"Tony," he greeted.

To Steve's heart-stopping shock, Tony walked directly into T'Challa's open arms and pressed a kiss to his lips. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," T'Challa replied quietly. "And Shuri made me promise to tell you that you and Peter must visit again or she's going to have a tantrum."

"Well, we can't have that, can we?"

"We most certainly cannot," T'challa confirmed. "I am not sure Wakanda would survive the experience of a full blown Shuri tantrum."

Tony laughed, bright and free and the sound was like music to Steve.

"Come on, I've got a table booked at Leonardo's."

Steve watched Tony tug T'Challa along by the hand. He didn't notice he was crying until the tears hit the paper of his sketchpad and smudged the charcoal.

…

 _Stephen stepped into the bunker. The Iron Man suit was laid out on the ground. He hoped he was in time._

 _He was breaking every law he'd been trusted to follow, but for this, he had no choice._

 _Tony was necessary to the world's survival, which meant Stephen had no choice but to save him._

…

" _Does this mean Steve is my soulmate?"_

" _Yes."_

…

" _I never came first for him," Tony admitted quietly. "How could fate have gotten it so wrong?"_

 _T'challa squeezed his hand. "Steve Rogers is a blind fool to not understand how utterly precious you are."_

" _I love you," Tony whispered. "Fuck fate."_

" _I love you too," T'challa replied._


	74. TonySteve 21

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** -882

 **Pairing** \- TonySteve

* * *

 **I Don't Accept**

* * *

His handwriting was shaky on the page, but he continued writing anyway. He felt feverish, almost like something really bad would happen if he didn't finish and seal the letter he was writing.

"Sir, I must protest this decision," J.A.R.V.I.S said, his British accent not soothing Tony like it usually did. "I believe that this will negatively affect your happiness by a rather substantial percentage."

"I have to resign, J. I can't do this any more."

The door to the workshop opened, and Tony paused in his writing to glare at the camera because he was _supposed_ to be on _blackout_ , which meant nobody should have access to the 'shop.

"Tony?"

No. No, no, no, no, no. Tony couldn't deal with this at the moment and he shook his head harshly.

"Sorry, Cap. Super busy, don't have time to-"

"Tony," Steve interrupted, calm and gentle but with an edge to it. "What are you doing?"

"I, uh, busy, like I said-"

"J.A.R.V.I.S told me that you're putting in your resignation to the Avengers," Steve said, placing a large, warm hand on Tony's shoulder. "I don't accept."

"You don't have a choice," Tony snapped, his tone acidic. "I don't want to be on the team any more, Cap. You can't force me."

"Of course I can't _force you,_ Tony, and you know me better than to think I would ever try, if I thought leaving the team was what you actually wanted. But I don't think it's what you want, so how about we talk about _why_ you think you want to leave?"

"None of your business," Tony muttered, shaking his head. "I just… I need to leave."

"Why, Tony?"

With a severe final flourish, Tony finished the resignation letter and stuffed it into an envelope. His heart was thudding painfully in his chest and he slumped into the seat behind him, his legs refusing to hold him any longer.

Tony flinched when Steve's hand suddenly cupped his cheek, gently guiding his face up so their eyes met.

"Is this because of what happened in the battle today?"

Tony choked on a bitter laugh, because stating the obvious didn't even come close. Of course it was about the battle.

"I proved to myself and everyone else that I'm fucking useless out there," he whispered, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to see the pity in Steve's eyes. "And Clint got hurt because of it."

"It wasn't your fault."

"It was."

"It wasn't your-"

Tony glared up at Steve. "It was my fault! I wasn't there to catch him, because I was flying after you even though you didn't actually need my help! Because I thought you were in danger, Steve, and I can't let you die! I can't! You can't ask me to be out there and prioritise anyone else when you're in danger because _I can't fucking do it_."

Steve's eyes were wide with realisation and Tony pulled away from his touch, pushing his chair back until he had space.

"The Avenger's can keep the tower. I'm going back to Malibu, where I can get on with my life and stop pretending to be a hero."

"You can't stop being what you are, Tony, it doesn't work like that. You _are_ a hero. A change in location won't stop you being one."

"I won't put the suit back on," Tony replied flatly. "I won't. I can't do it any more, Steve."

"You will," Steve replied, and there was confidence, a certainty in his words that irritated Tony enough to glare at him, their eyes meeting once more. He shook his head.

"Iron Man will continue being the red and gold saviour that he's been for years," Steve continued, stepping forwards until Tony was forced to open his legs to let Steve stand in the V of them. "And then Tony Stark will come home to the tower with his team. With me. You think I don't understand how hard it is to hear you in danger, Tony? Are you under the illusion that I didn't have the same kind of breakdown when I first realised I was in love with you and you nearly died a few weeks later?"

"You-You're not in-"

"I am very much in love with you," Steve interrupted. "I have been for years, I'll continue being for years to come, Tony. Being Captain America, being Iron Man, both of those are inherently dangerous jobs that no civilian will ever understand. I love you, I have loved you for so long, and I won't let you quit and leave me now that you finally realise that you love me back."

Tony gaped up at Steve, completely taken aback by the turn the conversation had taken. Of any reaction he could have expected from Steve, this one wasn't even on his radar.

"You-"

Steve ran gentle fingers through Tony's messy hair. "I love you. You love me. That's… that's something to hold onto, Tony. Not something to run away from."

Tony stood on shaky legs and almost fell into Steve's chest. A strong arm wrapped around his waist, keeping him upright.

"I love you," Tony murmured, clinging onto Steve. "I love you so much."

"I know. We'll work the rest out, but Tony?"

"Hmm?"

"I don't accept your resignation."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 23. Writing

Amber's Attic - 31. "I have to resign."

Funfair, North - Rat Race - 19. Gold

Funfair, East - Pie Eating - Pecan - Illusion

Funfair, South - Guess The Name - Dean - A Slash Pairing

365\. 163. Severe


	75. TonyClint 6

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Word Count** \- 1171

 **Pairing** \- TonyClint

* * *

 **In A Heartbeat**

* * *

The heartbeat in his wrist had long been a source of comfort for Tony. Whenever he felt unsure of himself, or nervous, or scared, he pressed his thumb to the heartbeat there and it helped to soothe him.

Well. Most of the time.

Whoever his soulmate was certainly had an interesting life if the way the heartbeat would sometimes race was any way to judge.

Tony often dreamt of who his soulmate could possibly be, of meeting them and falling in love with the exciting, faceless person who was his perfect match.

As he grew older, and didn't meet them, Tony spent more and more time with his fingers pressed against his left wrist. It was the only way to convince himself that his soulmate was somewhere out there, possibly looking for Tony as Tony looked for them.

…

Clint broke off mid sentence, and Nat looked up, concerned.

"It stopped," Clint whispered, pressing his fingers to his wrist. "The heartbeat, Nat. It's stopped."

Her eyes widened, and she watched as Clint lost all colour from his face as he willed the heartbeat to begin again.

The skin beneath his fingers was white from the pressure of Clint pressing his hand there, willing the heartbeat to start again. When it did, he slumped against the wall.

That's the fourth time in the last month," Clint murmured. "I don't… I don't understand what's happening."

Nat reached out to squeeze his shoulder. "You'll figure it out, Clint."

…

While he'd been in Afghanistan, Tony had sent nightly apologies into the cool night air, hoping that his soulmate would hear one of them. He hadn't expected to come home from that trip, and he knew that his poor soulmate was being hurt by his kidnapping.

Every time Tony gave into the pull of darkness, he woke to his soulmate's heartbeat pounding in his wrist.

When he came home, only to find that the thing that had saved him was also killing him, he continued his nightly apologies.

The only consolation was that he'd never met his soulmate, couldn't hurt him even more than he already had.

Only after Whiplash was beaten for the last time and the new arc reactor core sat comfortably in his chest did Tony let himself contemplate his soulmate again.

…

The battle was insane.

That was the only word for it, Clint thought. He'd been a S.H.I.E.L.D agent for a long time, and nothing had ever come close to this.

Fucking demigods and aliens.

What even is that anyway?

Clint shot arrow after arrow, trying to both pay attention to the fight and pay attention to Natasha, who was even deeper into the action than he was.

If she got herself killed, he'd bring her back and kill her himself.

…

Flying through the sky, shooting down alien after alien, Tony almost couldn't believe that this was actually happening.

"Stark, do you hear me? We have a missile headed straight for the city."

Tony closed his eyes. Fucking _idiots._ "How long?"

"Three minutes at best."

Tony stared up at the sky for a moment. "On it."

…

Clint could only watch in awe as the Iron Man suit latched onto the missile, turning it up to the wormhole.

Over the comms, he heard Captain America say, "Stark, you know that's a one way trip."

The missile, and Tony with it, passed through the wormhole, and the aliens collapsed around them moments later. Clint's own heart seemed to pound harder in his chest when he realised that the racing in his wrist had abruptly stopped.

Stopped.

When Stark went through the portal.

…

He jolted awake, his chest sore and his head pounding. Steve sat beside him, relief in his eyes as he smiled down at Tony.

"What the hell? What just happened? Please tell me nobody kissed me."

"We won," Steve replied, disbelief evident in his tone. Tony relaxed, closing his eyes. That had been far too close for comfort.

"Alright, hey. Alright. Good job, guys. Let's just not come in tomorrow. Let's just take a day. You ever tried shawarma? There's a shawarma joint about two blocks from here. I don't know what it is, but I wanna try it."

Though he'd never admit it in front of anyone, Tony just needed to get out of his suit. Walk around on solid ground and decidedly not think about the portal he'd narrowly escaped from.

He needed a moment to just press his fingers to his wrist and be reassured that his soulmate was okay. He could feel the flutter that told him his soulmate's heart was racing again, but it was familiar.

Comforting.

He just… he just needed a moment of privacy to enjoy that.

"We're not finished yet," Thor murmured apologetically.

…

The food tasted like cardboard but Clint ate anyway, his eyes on Tony. He was clearly tired, and when he wasn't eating, Clint could see the way he continuously brushed his fingers against his wrist, feeling the heartbeat there.

 _Clint's heartbeat._

He wouldn't know for sure until they touched skin to skin, but it was a pretty big coincidence that the heartbeat in Clint's wrist stopped and started at the same time Tony flew through the wormhole and woke up on the streets of New York.

It would also explain a lot—the period of time Clint's soulmate's heart had stopped and started a lot coincided with Stark's _sojourn_ in Afghanistan.

"I think we all need some sleep," Nat said, rubbing her temple.

Clint nodded and stood, ignoring the food still left on his plate. He rounded the table and offered his hand to Tony, to help him stand.

Tony looked at him for a long moment, confused, before he took it.

…

As soon as Tony slid his hand into Clint's the connection was immediate. Tony's eyes shot up to meet Clint's and the archer smiled smugly.

"Knew it," he murmured, tugging Tony to his feet. "Please stop doing things that make your heart stop."

Tony blinked and then snorted. "It's not like I do it on purpose."

"Maybe try harder to not, huh?" Clint suggested, pulling Tony a step closer. "I happen to like you alive and well."

"This… explains a lot," Tony admitted, smiling slightly. "I always wondered what kind of life my soulmate must lead, given the many times I felt your heartbeat race."

Clint cracked a grin. "Budapest was one of many."

"You've really gotta explain that one," Tony said, glancing at Natasha.

She was watching them with wide eyes and a small smile on her face.

…

"Sorry," Clint replied, revelling in the feeling of the bond coursing through him. "We swore we'd never tell."

"I have… ways… of being persuasive," Tony replied, eyes sparkling.

Clint looked him up and down appreciatively. "I'm sure you do."

"What just happened?" Steve asked, looking around the table.

Before Clint could tear his eyes away from Tony to answer, Nat did it for them.

"They're soulmates, Steve."

"Yes," Clint agreed softly. "Yes we are."


	76. TonySteve 22

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 2577

 **Pairing** \- SteveTony

* * *

 **Maybe I'm Not Alone (In This Train Of Thought)**

* * *

Tony landed, the red and gold armour glinting in the sun as it was pulled from his body, piece by piece, by his robots. He wandered into the main common room of the Tower, whistling to himself. It had been a good morning, and he had high hopes for the rest of the day.

That was his first mistake.

The team were gathered in front of the television, all of their eyes glued to the screen.

"What's going on?" he asked, frowning.

Nat looked around, and then nodded to the screen. "Everyone is talking about you."

"Of course they are," Tony replied rolling his eyes. "Why would you think they had lives of their own to worry about?"

She snorted but shook her head. "Not just you. You and _Steve."_

"Um. Okay? Why?"

"Tony, I'm so sorry," Steve said, shaking his head as he stared mournfully at the screen. "It was a joke but they took it-"

He waved his hand at the screen, as though he couldn't even bear to tell Tony what was going on.

Tony turned his attention to the screen and watched with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. What could be so bad that it garnered this kind of reaction from his team. Although, they didn't all look sad or worried-Clint was practically vibrating with amused glee.

" _-Nobody was expecting Steve Rogers, aka Captain America, to confirm that he and Tony Stark are in a relationship, given the way he protects his privacy as best he can, but-"_

"Is that all?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrow. "That's nothing, Steve, it'll blow over. Just… probably don't date anyone else for a while."

Before anyone else could speak, Tony heard a familiar 'click-clack' on the flooring in the hallway leading to the common room, and sure enough, a few seconds later, Pepper entered the room, looking beautiful as ever in a fitted purple dress and high heels.

"Does someone want to explain to me why this wasn't a controlled press release?" she asked, arching her eyebrow at Tony.

Tony blinked. "What? Pep, Steve was joking, and the press…. did what the press do, I suppose. We're not actually dating."

Pepper frowned. "Are you sure?"

Natasha snorted, and Clint was already laughing like a hyena.

"I think I'd know if we were actually dating, Pep. I was just telling Steve that it would blow over like it always does."

She shook her head and pursed her lips. "It's not going to be that simple, Tony. Superheroes coming out is a _big deal."_

"But… I mean, I've been out forever," Tony said, shrugging. "So there might be some emphasis on Steve being gay, or bi, pan-sorry Steve, I don't know your sexuality-but surely it's only going to be hot until the next big story breaks? That's how this works, Pepper."

"Normally I'd agree, but this situation is… a little bit different. Already our press office has had the LGBT community magazines reaching out for interviews. This is a big deal for the community as a whole, Tony, and the backlash against _both of you_ if it's found out to be a joke would be _huge."_

Tony rubbed a hand over his face and leaned back against the wall. He'd been having _such_ a good day.

"I assume you already have a plan?"

"You're going to have to 'date' for a while. There's not really any other option that ends well for everyone involved. And you're going to have to play nice with the media circus for a while too."

Tony closed his eyes and shook his head. "Steve prefers his privacy, Pepper. I can play with the press for as long as you like, I know how it works, but you can't expect him too-"

"Try me. I'll do whatever it takes," Steve interrupted firmly. "This is my fault, Tony. You warned me not to joke with the press. And for the record, I think I'm Bi."

"You think?"

"I've never actually, erm, well."

"Gotcha," Tony said, nodding, because if Steve blushed any harder, he'd probably explode. "So, fake dating?"

"It's not like it will make a difference to your everyday lives anyway," Pepper said, her lips twitching like she was fighting a smile. "The two of you are practically inseparable."

Tony glanced at Steve and then back at Pepper and then shrugged. "Whatever. You know best, Pep."

She nodded, and smiled at him properly. "I'll send a press release over for you to sign off on in a couple of hours."

He nodded, and she turned and left, pausing only to nod at the rest of the team.

"She's a force to be reckoned with, isn't she?" Steve asked, eyes wide.

Tony snorted. "She's something."

"She's resilient and used to dealing with this kind of thing," Natasha said, smirking. "She's been dealing with Tony for years after all."

Tony couldn't even argue.

…

In fairness, Pepper wasn't wrong. Nothing much changed. The two of them went out in public a lot together anyway; to eat, to watch baseball, when Steve managed to convince Tony to go to a museum with him.

The only real difference was the trail of paparazzi that tended to follow them around. Before Steve's gaff, they tended to show up, take a picture and bugger off to bother someone else. Now they followed them around, making a nuisance of themselves as they called out for Steve and Tony to kiss, or hold hands, or on one memorable occasion, to make like Lady and the Tramp when the two of them made the mistake of sitting outside an Italian restaurant.

It was fine. A little awkward, because Steve blushed every time a mention of their 'relationship' was made, but it was fine.

Tony tried his best to forget it was even happening beyond the interviews, because having Steve but not actually having him was a bad plan because Tony was greedy, so it was best if he just… didn't think about it.

Pepper and Rhodey were both ridiculous and cruel because they both made him discuss it, separately at first and then they ambushed him at their regular monthly meal.

"Honestly, I thought the two of you were already dating," Rhodey said, rolling his eyes when Tony protested for the millionth time.

"Same," Pepper agreed. "When I first saw the news, I was mad that they hadn't used the usual press protocol rather than doubting the news."

"I'd say that I admire your tenacity, but I really don't," Tony grumbled. Honestly, if they talked about this any more, he was actually going to scream.

"Why don't you just tell him that you want to date without the fake?" Rhodey asked.

Tony snorted. "Right, that's going to happen. I think you need to switch to soda, Platypus, you're clearly drunk."

"And you're a jerk. He looks at you like you hung the moon, Tony, he likes you!"

"As a friend, maybe even a best friend, yes," Tony agreed. "But it's not romantic. If he liked me in a romantic way, he'd say so. He's all about the courage and shit, he's Captain America."

"Maybe this was his way of seeing if you were interested," Pepper offered up. "And he might be brave when facing the villains, but that's Captain America. Steve Rogers on the other hand… I can see why he'd be scared of putting himself out there. He's already lost everything once, Tony, surely you can see why he'd be scared of losing everything again if you don't feel the same."

"I don't want to make him feel like he has to actually date me because of his mistake," Tony admitted. "You remember what he said. He'd 'do whatever it takes'. I'm not going to play on his guilt over this."

Pepper and Rhodey shared a look.

"Do you want to say it, or should I?" Pepper offered.

Rhodey snorted and turned back to Tony. "You're an idiot."

…

Tony was brought rudely back to the surface from his inventing binge when something landed haphazardly on his head. He looked up to see Steve smirking at him.

"Come on, Genius."

Tony pulled the offending object from his head to find himself looking at a baseball hat.

"What's this?"

"A hat."

"I got that part, Steve. What's it for?"

"It goes on your head."

"You're a troll."

"I thought we could go out for lunch, but I'm tired of being hounded," Steve admitted, jamming a second hat on his own head. "Hopefully these will help hide us."

"What a dastardly plan," Tony muttered. "I'm not really in the mood to go out, and honestly, baseball caps won't work. The pap's can sniff us out, they're all part bloodhound or something. Can we just order in and watch a movie?"

Steve shrugged but nodded. "If that's what you want. Are you ready now?"

Tony nodded, rubbing at his eyes. "Sure, Steve. J, save and shut down, yeah? I think I'm done for the day."

"You look tired."

"Full of compliments today, aren't you?" Tony muttered, though he smiled to soften it because he knew Steve wasn't trying to be insulting. They made their way up to the penthouse, and after a minor argument over food, settled on Thai, which J ordered for them as they settled onto the sofa.

Automatically, Tony leant into Steve's warmth. It was part of the reason Tony always migrated to Steve's side when the team gathered for movie nights. The man threw off warmth like he had an inner fire constantly set to high.

Steve wrapped his arm around Tony, pulling him closer, and Tony sunk into his side. The next thing he knew, Steve was waking him up gently, telling him that the food had arrived.

"Sorry, I don't think I'm going to be much company today," Tony admitted, yawning widely.

"You're just fine," Steve assured him, dishing out their food. They sat in companionable silence, eyes on the screen though Tony couldn't focus on the plot. He ate on autopilot, and when he was full, simply dropped the container on the table and burrowed back into Steve's warmth.

He fell back to sleep with Steve's hand stroking comfortingly along his spine.

…

"Oh god," Tony muttered.

"What is it?"

"Justin Hammer," Tony replied, nodding his head to the side slightly to where the 'rival' businessman was making a beeline for the two of them.

Steve huffed. He'd met Justin before and hadn't been impressed the first time. He doubted this time would be any better.

"Well, well, Anthony. Making headlines again, I see! And for such a _happy_ reason."

Tony simply raised his eyebrow at Hammer, waiting to see what the man wanted.

"I simply had to come and give you my congratulations, although, I saw the way the stocks dropped when the news first broke. I'm sure you must have been worried."

"I'm more interested in the way they've risen back up, as they always do, Justin. I'm sure you wouldn't know that feeling but it's magnificent."

Justin laughed an awful fake laugh and turned to Steve. "Always with the jokes, isn't he? I don't know how you handle him."

"Tony doesn't need _handling_ ," Steve replied sharply. "He's perfectly capable of _handling_ himself."

"I meant-"

"Nobody cares what you meant, Justin," Tony interjected. "Run along now, we've got important people to greet. You're not one of them."

"Actually, I wondered if you'd spare a moment for a business proposition," Justin said, ignoring the insults being directed his way as he ploughed on. "I think you'll want a piece of this action, Tony."

"Since Pepper is the CEO of Stark Industries, it's her you'll want to see about any 'business propositions' although, I should warn you, she can smell bullshit from a mile away, so you'll probably be better just not bothering her."

Steve wrapped his arm around Tony's waist. "We really should go and speak with the new arrivals, Tony."

He steered Tony away from Hammer, not even bothering to offer up a 'goodbye' as they left.

"I do not like that man," he murmured under his breath.

Tony snorted. "Join the club. He's up to something though. I'll have Pepper put the feelers out for whatever bullshit he's cooking up."

Steve nodded, and Tony noticed that he hadn't removed the arm around Tony's waist. Not that Tony was going to say anything.

They made their rounds, and returned to the bar, Tony drinking water in deference to the way Steve worried when he drank alcohol.

"Dance with me?" Steve offered, his eyes on the dance floor, which was beginning to fill up.

Tony blinked. "I thought you didn't dance."

Steve just smiled and offered Tony his hand, which, after a moment's hesitation, Tony accepted. Steve led the way, and when they were on the edge of the dancers, took Tony in his arms, swaying them as he took the lead.

"I always said that I'd save my first dance for someone special," Steve murmured against Tony's temple, where his lips rested lightly. "I'm glad that someone is you."

"Steve-"

"I know it's supposed to be fake but…. Tony. What if it wasn't?"

Tony pulled back just enough so he could look up at Steve, eyes wide and slightly disbelieving, because this was Steve and Steve could do so much better than Tony.

He could literally have anyone he wanted.

"I, you, what?"

"We've been friends for years, Tony, and if that's all we're ever going to be, I'm okay with that, I swear. I just… I guess I thought maybe I wasn't alone in thinking that we could work."

Tony's brain shorted out and he stared up at Steve, unable to speak. Everything he wanted was being offered to him on a plate, and yet, it didn't seem real.

"You want…me? _Why?_ "

"You make me feel like I could soar, and yet, you keep me grounded," Steve said quietly. "You make me smile, you make me laugh, and you make me glad that I spent seventy years in the ice because it meant that I could be alive to meet you."

Tony swallowed hard. "I, uh. I-"

Frustrated at his own lack of speaking ability, Tony threw his fear away and pushed up on his toes to press his lips against Steve's. It was a soft kiss, chaste because as fried as his brain was, he did remember that they were surrounded by people and now probably wasn't the best time for an impromptu make out session.

When he pulled away, Steve was smiling down at him, his eyes soft and happy and Tony never wanted to see them looking at him in any other way.

"Let's get out of here."

…

"You could probably stop fake dating now," Pepper said, a few weeks later when she visited Tony with papers to sign.

Tony rolled his eyes but didn't reply as he signed page after page that she put in front of him.

"For the most part, the board has responded with neutrality, and the press has died down plenty so-"

"Pep."

"What?"

"It's not fake any more. We're dating now. So… the press and the board can carry on doing whatever they're doing, I don't particularly care."

Steve grinned up at her from his seat beside Tony, his fingers never pausing in their motions as he stroked Tony's hip, his arm settled around Tony the way it tended to be whenever the two were in the same room.

Pepper blinked and then a smile appeared on her lips, widening quickly with each passing second.

"You mean it worked?"

"What worked?"

She blushed and shook her head. "Nothing, never mind." Accepting the papers from Tony, she quickly put them into the manilla folder they'd come in and headed for the exit.

"Where's Natasha, J?" Tony heard her say as she stepped into the elevator.

"Ever feel like you've been played?" Tony asked, looking up at Steve with his eyebrow raised.

"The longer I know Natasha, the more I become acquainted with the feeling, yes."

Tony snorted and shook his head. "Nat and Pep are never allowed to join forces. Any plans for world dominance the two came up with would be unbreakable."

Steve nodded. "Agreed."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Assorted Appreciation - 12. "Do you wanna say it or should I?"

Disney - C3. Something happening fast.

Space - 18. Unbreakable

Book Club - Adam - Insulting someone / Baseball Hat / Jerk / Fear

Showtime - 30. Neutrality

Attic - 22. "I'll do whatever it takes."

Arcade - Pharah - A force to be reckoned with / Soar / Resilient / "Try me."

Scamander's case - 8. Gold

Film Festival - 8. Television

Pop Figure - Albus - 1. Purple / 2. Hat / 3. Moon

Mythology - 8. Admire

Funfair, North - Puppet Show - Franchise, Marvel

Funfair East - Bingo - Trope Board: Fake Dating

Funfair, South - Guess The Name - Sirius - "Everyone is talking about you." / "Of course they are. Why would you think they had lives of their own to worry about."

365\. 157. Scream


	77. TonyBucky 10

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 _Challenges listed at the bottom._

 **Word Count** \- 1254

 **Pairing** \- TonyBucky

* * *

 **Recalibration**

* * *

Bucky let his forehead rest against the window, the coolness welcome on his skin.

"Oh, bloody hell, he's worse than Steve's puppy eyes," he heard Clint mutter in the background. He ignored him, as he'd been doing for the last three days.

"Tony will be back up here before you know it," Natasha said. Bucky knew she was trying to be comforting, but meaningless words weren't going to make Bucky feel better.

Certainly not about this.

The only thing that would make him feel better was Tony and since Tony wasn't even speaking to him at the moment, that wasn't exactly likely.

Bucky didn't even know what he'd done wrong. Everything had been fine, great even, for the last few months, and he didn't know where it had gone wrong. The last time he'd seen Tony, he'd given him the dog-tags Stevie had had made for him.

He'd looped them around Tony's neck, fastening the clasp carefully, and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. "You'll remember you belong to me," he'd murmured, and Tony had smiled and turned in his arms, looping his own arms around Bucky's neck.

When Bucky had woken up the following morning, Tony had been gone from the bed, and it was the last time Bucky had seen him.

That was four days ago.

"Tony does this sometimes," Steve told him, on the second day. "He just needs to not be around people for a while, and he locks himself off in the workshop. He'll be back up here when he's ready, Buck."

"If that's all it was, why didn't he tell me that?"

Steve didn't have an answer for that. Nobody did.

Bucky sighed. All he wanted was Tony back in his arms. Was that really too much to ask for?

…

"Hey Pepper," Steve said, looking up from his lunch when he heard the familiar clicking on the floor that signalled Pepper's arrival. "Tony's still in the 'shop."

"I know," she said with a grimace. "I heard on the grapevine that Barnes is moping, longing for his long lost love?"

Bucky rolled his eyes, but he didn't lift his head from where it was resting on his arms at the table. Steve had tried to convince him to eat, but his appetite was in hibernation.

"Tony will be back up in a couple of days, Barnes. You've done nothing wrong, this isn't about you, it's one of his quirks. He should have spoken to you; or rather, Rhodey or I should have warned you because Tony is useless at anything resembling emotions, so I'm sorry for that."

Bucky looked up long enough to acknowledge her words.

"Just be patient with him, okay?"

Easier said than done, Bucky thought to himself. He'd never been great at patience.

"Thanks for coming, Pepper," Steve said, when Bucky didn't reply. "I don't think there's much any of us can say to him until Tony has come back and proven himself okay."

"Jarvis?" Pepper said, his tone fond.

"Sir's vitals are all within usual ranges, Miss Potts, and he's currently napping on the couch."

"Thank you, J."

"If he gets himself into trouble, Steve will be alerted and let into the lab, okay?"

Bucky raised his head again, frowning. "Why Steve?"

"Because when I made him promise, Steve was the nearest reliable adult," Pepper said, smirking at Steve. "And maybe a little bit because Rhodey and I trust that Steve will take care of Tony if anything happened while we weren't here."

"You and Rhodey set the protocol?"

Pepper nodded delicately. "I'm sure Tony's already explained that Rhodey and I have been with Tony for years. Rhodey since MIT, me from not long after that."

Bucky nodded. He knew how special the two of them were to Tony, and how much he loved them both.

"When Tony made Jarvis, he gave Rhodey and I special privilege, and if Tony were to be in any trouble whatsoever, it would fall to us to be the contact point for J. We're Tony's second in command as it were. As such, we can set certain protocols that pertain to Tony's safety and wellbeing. So, Tony is fine, okay?"

Bucky twitched, but nodded his head. He _was_ grateful that Pepper had bothered to come and speak to him when he knew how busy she was on a daily basis, but he couldn't say her words had made him feel much better.

Sure, Tony was _fine_ , but he wasn't _there_.

…

"Sergeant Barnes?"

Bucky blinked his eyes open immediately. He'd never been a deep sleeper, and his time as the winter soldier hadn't helped with that in the slightest.

"Jarvis?"

"Sir has removed the lockdown from his workshop. He's indicating that he wants to see you, if you're amenable."

Jarvis hadn't even finished speaking before Bucky was up off the bed and halfway to the elevator. He was practically vibrating as he watched the numbers move down at the top of the elevator, and he left before the doors were even halfway open, sliding through the smallest space possible.

"Tony?"

"Hey Bucky Babe," Tony greeted, spinning his chair around and standing up in one graceful movement. "I'm sorry."

Bucky crossed the workshop and tugged Tony into his arms, burying his face against Tony's neck.

"I missed you."

Tony stroked his back slowly, hugging him tight. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

Bucky pulled back enough to look at Tony properly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Tony promised. "I just… sometimes I get a bit overwhelmed and need to just… not for a few days. I, uh, it's been communicated to me," which Bucky totally knew meant that Pepper had told him off, "that I should have explained that to you beforehand and I didn't, and I know… I know I hurt you, and I'm really sorry."

Bucky raised a hand to cup Tony's cheek. "I thought you were done with me."

It hurt to even say the word and he swallowed hard against the lump in his throat.

Tony shook his head emphatically. "No, of course not, I love you! I just… I'm really sorry, Snowflake. I.. sometimes I get a little lost and I just need a few days to recalibrate, you know?"

"You'll tell me next time?" Bucky asked, biting his bottom lip. "Or have Jarvis tell me."

Tony nodded. "I can do that. You heard that, J?"

"Yes sir."

Bucky buried his face against Tony's neck once more. "Thank you," he whispered.

…

There were still times when Tony needed to hide away in his workshop for a few days, though according to both Pepper and the team, they were getting less and less.

Bucky had learnt to be patient during those times, but Tony and Jarvis both helped with that. Jarvis gave him Tony's stats every morning and every night, and Tony warned him more often than not that he was feeling overwhelmed.

On the one occasion that Tony actually hurt himself (an accident with Dum-E, don't ask) it was _Bucky_ that Jarvis called down to the workshop, rather than Steve, thought the super soldier had been hot on his heels regardless.

What really made Bucky feel better during those times though, was the newly adorned promise ring on his finger. He rubbed it with his thumb whenever he wanted to feel closer to Tony, and it still gave him a thrill.

It reminded Bucky that Tony loved him, even when he needed a moment to himself.

And that meant more than anything in the world.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney, T1: Patience. Write about learning to be patient.

Showtime: 28. Emotion: Longing

Amber's Attic: 7. "You'll remember you belong to me."

365\. 130. Thrill


	78. TonyBucky 11

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 3521

 **Pairing** \- TonyBucky

* * *

 **Swirls Upon Their Skin**

* * *

 _He stopped writing on his arm when he was eighteen, a few months after his parents died. He was so tired of putting himself out there, only to be ignored. Tony decided that he didn't need a soulmate to be happy; he'd make his own happiness._

…

Bringing Barnes into the tower turned out to be easier than Steve had expected. The team had staked out the area Barnes was last seen in, and when they'd spotted him, Steve had been all set to wait him out. Barnes knew they were there, of course.

Steve hoped if they waited long enough, Barnes would come to them.

Tony didn't have time for that. With Steve hissing behind him for his to get back into position, Tony moved through the crowd to the bench Barnes was sitting on.

"I'm very nonthreatening, don't worry," he said, as he took a seat beside the tense man. "How are you?"

Barnes stared at him for a long moment, until Tony shrugged.

"Okay, I'll talk, you listen then. Steve, you remember Steve, right? Well. Steve is the most determined person I know, and honestly, he's gonna follow you around the world for as long as he needs to until you agree to come home with us. Now, I don't know about you, but I don't have time for a game of chase all around the world—though if necessary we'll do it, so instead of that, why don't you come with us know, and see if you don't like having a bit of stability in your life?"

"I remember Steve," Barnes croaked. "I think. He's different now. Captain America, right?"

Tony nodded. "Yup. Though, from the stories he's told me, he's still that little shit from Brooklyn that you remember, too."

Barnes' lips tilted up in a small smile, though it didn't last long. Tony waited him out, watching the people walking past them instead. If Barnes ran, they'd lost nothing, but he hoped that maybe they could end this game of tag before it got tedious.

Finally, after the longest of silences ever, Barnes cleared his throat to get Tony's attention and then nodded his head once. "I'll come with you."

…

"Tony!"

"I don't know what you heard, but whatever it is, Clint started it," Tony said in reply to Steve calling his name.

He'd just gotten back from an S.I. meeting, and he was so ready to jump back into his workshop where he didn't have to pretend to like people or be polite.

"I've not heard anything," Steve said slowly, "but you always make me nervous when you say things like that. I always think I'm about to hear something I don't want to."

Tony snorted. "I live to serve, Cap. What's up?"

"Well, I was thinking—"

"Always dangerous."

Steve gave Tony a playful glare. "And I was thinking that maybe we could get a puppy. Or a kitten. Or… well, a pet of some sort."

"Is this about our resident ghost?" Tony asked, raising his eyebrows. Barnes, since coming to the tower, had been practically invisible. Anytime he actually ventured into the communal areas of the tower, he faded into the shadows and people practically forgot he was ever there to begin with.

Steve nodded. "He always loved animals when we were younger. I thought it might be… comforting for him, to have one around."

Tony shrugged. "I have no problem with it. Take him to the shelter, let him pick for himself."

"Thanks, Tony."

…

Bucky sat in the living room, the little ball of fluff of a kitten they'd picked up from the shelter that morning in his lap. He'd decided to call her Penny, since he'd heard a song called Penny Lane on the radio on the way there and liked it.

There was nobody else around, which he was grateful for. It wasn't that Bucky didn't want to get to know the other residents of the tower, but it was like… it was like he'd forgotten how. The part of him that knew how people worked still hadn't come back, no matter how much Steve said he was improving daily in recovering from Hydra's effect on him.

He stroked his finger's through Penny's fluffy fur, smiling to himself when she purred happily on his lap. It was almost hypnotic, the repetitive movements and the sound of her purring, and he almost didn't notice the elevator doors open—in fact he wouldn't have done, had it not dinged in warning.

Tony Stark stumbled out, looking tired and messy, with grease and oil staining his shirt and skin and deep bags under his eyes.

Tony was an enigma to Bucky. He'd been watching, in the weeks since he came to the tower, and he couldn't work the man out. Oh, Bucky realised that a lot of what made up Tony Stark was mask upon mask, but even so, the man was… a contradiction.

He was kind and generous, but seemed to hate to have that noticed by anyone. He was loud and obnoxious at times, but when he thought nobody was watching, seemed content to just be, thoughtful and quiet.

Bucky longed to see what he was like in his workshop—Steve had said he'd love the workshop, that it was the future they'd imagined when they'd been boys—but he didn't know how to ask for such a thing, or if Tony would give it to him.

It seemed that the workshop was Tony's safe space, and access was limited to everyone as far as Bucky could tell.

He watched as Tony stumbled past him towards the kitchen, apparently not even noticing that Bucky was there. He wanted to follow the genius, but he didn't want to disturb Penny from his lap, so he stayed where he was and listened to the quiet noises of Tony making coffee in the kitchen.

A few minutes later, he entered the living area again, looking a little more alert this time. He spotted Bucky almost immediately.

"Oh. Hi. Sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here."

"I think the room could have been on fire and you wouldn't have noticed," Bucky said quietly. "You look tired."

Tony snorted and rounded the sofa.

"Oh. This must be the new addition to the family," he murmured, spotting Penny on Bucky's knee. "Steve told me about her earlier. What's her name?"

"Penny."

Tony's lips quirked. "It suits her. She's cute."

"Do you want to hold her?"

Tony shook his head. "She looks comfortable where she is. Besides, she's sticking around, right? I'll get a chance for snuggles, I'm sure."

He sat in the armchair closest to the sofa, and wrapped both hands around his mug. "So, how are you doing in the tower? I feel like I haven't seen you since we fetched you here. Is everything okay?"

Bucky nodded, not really sure what to say. He didn't want to seem ungrateful, and everything really had been great. His discomfort was more on his conditioning than the tower.

Tony must have seen something in his face because he huffed a laugh. "Alright, Snowflake. If there's anything you want or need, you just let me know. Or if I'm not around, let J.A.R.V.I.S know, and he'll tell me."

Nodding unsurely, Bucky asked, "Snowflake?"

"Oh. Nicknames are… a thing? I'll try and stop if you don't like it but honestly, it's just a thing I do and I'll forget so—"

"No, it's fine. It's… yeah. Fine."

Tony nodded. "Well, I should get back to work. Don't stay up too late, Snowflake."

Bucky watched him leave, and only when he was gone did he realise he was still smiling.

…

"Steve! Actually no, not you, you've got no fashion sense… erm… ah, Snowflake! Which one?"

Bucky turned to see Tony in a fitted charcoal grey suit and a white shirt, holding up two ties. One was a dark green and the other wine red.

"Which tie?" Tony asked, shaking them both a little.

Bucky glanced from one to the other and said, "Red one."

Tony nodded and tossed the green onto a nearby table, before he expertly tied the tie around his neck.

"Where are you going?" Steve asked, apparently having taken the 'no fashion sense' comment in stride. In fairness, Bucky had noticed the way the two of them bantered with one another, and he thought it was probably—mostly—meant in jest.

"Out for dinner with Pepper. She wanted to try that new fusion restaurant or something? I don't know, Steve. I go where Pepper tells Happy to take me."

Steve snorted.

Tony shrugged and waved, leaving Steve and Bucky in the living room.

"Is Pepper his… soulmate?" Bucky asked, frowning.

Steve shook his head. "No. She's the CEO of Stark Industries and they dated for a while, but they're just friends now. Pepper is the person Tony trusts the most in the world, and she's his best friend. Tony… he doesn't think he's got a soulmate."

"Everyone has a soulmate," Bucky said, almost automatically, because it was true.

Soulmates didn't always meet, but everyone _had_ one.

"I don't know the full story," Steve admitted quietly. "But I think… when his soulmate didn't answer the notes he wrote on his arm, Tony gave up. He's never said as much outright but… at his behest, we don't ask him about it and he doesn't volunteer information. You know how touchy people can be about soulmates, Buck."

At this, Steve gave Bucky a pointed look. Soulmates were the cause of the only argument he and Steve had had since Bucky had been brought to the tower; brought on because Steve encouraged Bucky to write on his arm and Bucky had very harshly slapped the idea down.

While he did believe that he had a soulmate out there somewhere, or had one back in the time he was born into, it didn't mean he wanted to land some poor person with the boatload of issues he had now.

Nobody deserved that being brought into their lives.

"Sure, Stevie. I know."

…

"Looks like you're in the Media's good books Tony," Clint said, nodding his head at the tv as Tony entered the living room.

Bucky sat in the armchair, Penny scratching playfully at his tickling fingers. She helped him feel a little more comfortable when in a room with other people, and he even managed the occasional conversations these days, though like with everything else, it was slow going.

"The world loves me," Tony said, preening exaggeratedly. "They're all falling at my feet, begging me to love them."

"Well, I promise not to fall for you," Clint said, grinning.

Tony pointed at him. "Don't make promises you can't keep. The way you keep throwing yourself off of rooftops is getting a little ridiculous, Merida."

Clint laughed. "Is it my fault I have to fight so hard for your attention, handsome? If only you'd give me a little one on one time with you…"

Tony choked on a laugh and shook his head. "I'd _ruin_ you. You'd never be able to sleep with anyone ever again, because I'm just _that_ good. You can't handle all of this, Clint."

The two of them chuckled together, and as Tony passed he leant down a little to scratch the fur behind Penny's ears.

"And how are you, gorgeous," he cooed down at her.

Bucky couldn't help smirking at him a little. "I'm fine, how are you?"

Tony's eyes widened for a split second in shock before he grinned widely. "Well, I _could_ have been talking to either one of you, couldn't I?"

…

Tony looked up as the door to the workshop slid open and J.A.R.V.I.S announced Bucky's entrance. He looked shocking, pale as the ghost Tony had once accused him of being, and his eyes were pained. He clutched his metal arm to his chest with his flesh one.

"Come and sit down, Snowflake," Tony said, gesturing him to a stool. He'd wanted it to be as different from Hydra as possible when Steve called down a few minutes ago to check that Tony was in to take a look at Bucky's arm.

"I'm going to talk you through everything I do, and if you need me to stop, just tell me okay?"

Bucky nodded and let out a pained wimper.

"We're going to make this okay, Snowflake, I promise."

Tony worked as quickly as he could while being safe, and as promised, he talked Bucky through every movement he made, keeping his tone soft and comforting.

By the time he was done, Bucky had stopped trembling and he was looking around the lab with barely concealed amazement. When Tony checked behind him, it was to see that he'd left up the many holograms he'd been working with before Bucky came into the lab.

"Hey, DUM-E," he called, as he fasted up the last plate back onto Bucky's arm. "Come and meet Bucky."

DUM-E whirred interestedly, and approached, and Tony couldn't help but smile at the awe clear on Bucky's face.

"He understood you," he murmured.

"Of course he did," Tony agreed. "Butterfingers and U are over there, they understand me too. They're helper bots. DUM-E here was my first. I made him when I was about seventeen, so he's been with me for quite a long time."

"You made him when you were still a kid?"

Tony nodded, and reached out to pat DUM-E. "Yeah. He's a pain in the ass, but he's my pain in the ass, you know?"

Bucky nodded. "I love science and technology," he offered. "I, uh, before I shipped out, I went to your dad's expo. He showed a flying car, but it tanked. Guess I kinda expected flying cars would be a thing by now."

Tony snorted.

"They probably could be, if anyone put the work in. Honestly, they'd be terrible economically but… we could work on one? For fun. If you wanted?"

"Oh, I'm sure you're too busy for—"

"Everyone needs a little fun time, Snowflake."

Blushing a little, Bucky nodded and smiled. "I'd like that, then, Tony. Thanks."

…

"Are you okay?"

Tony looked up sharply and then relaxed when he saw it was Bucky. He was sitting on the sofa with Penny resting on his chest, and Bucky didn't think he'd ever seen a more adorable sight.

"Just don't love thunderstorms," Tony admitted, when Bucky sat down beside him. The tv was playing quietly, and they sat in comfortable silence for a little while, until a particularly loud rumble of thunder sounded, and Tony flinched.

"C'mere, Doll," Bucky said, raising his flesh arm.

Tony only hesitated for a moment before he shifted over and tucked himself into Bucky's side, being careful not to disturb Penny too much.

"Sorry, I know I should be stronger—"

"None of that," Bucky said, shaking his head. "You know that's not how it works, Tony. Fear is valid, doesn't matter what the fear is."

Tony nodded, because he'd been the one to tell Bucky that, during a late night conversation over their flying car.

Bucky enjoyed the warmth of Tony pressed up against him, and he couldn't help but notice that Tony fit there perfectly; almost like he was just meant to be there.

They stayed there until the storm had passed, and then longer, because when Bucky looked down, it was to find Tony fast asleep, his face pressed against Bucky's t'shirt, a little drool staining the grey material darker.

It was _adorable._

It was then that Bucky realised he was in trouble.

…

"I, uh, I've been thinking about the soulmate thing," Bucky said, a few days later, when it was just him and Steve. "I thought I might… try."

He needed to find a way to get his mind off of Tony, and he thought that perhaps, his soulmate had the highest chance of that. Of course, he could just be bringing more trouble to his life, because not only would he be inflicting his issues on his poor unsuspecting soulmate, there was also the possibility that he wouldn't love them quite as much as he loved Tony.

Just thinking about that was almost enough to make him back out, but when he saw the way Steve's face lit up, he knew he couldn't disappoint his best friend.

"Try not to get your hopes up too much, Stevie," he added. "I know you and Sam are sickeningly perfect for each other but—"

"I know, Buck. Do you know what you want to write?"

"I, uh, thought I might doodle a picture instead of having to… words."

"Well. Since your grasp on the English language is clearly suffering, that sounds like a good idea, Buck," Steve replied, laughing.

Bucky threw a piece of toast at him.

"But what do I draw?"

Steve shrugged. "Whatever comes to mind, I guess."

"Helpful. Why do I come to you for help?"

…

"Hey Snowflake," Tony greeted, when Bucky made his way down to the workshop later that evening.

Bucky grinned at him and made himself at home on the sofa. They hadn't been planning to do anything with the car, but Tony had made it clear that Bucky was welcome whenever the workshop wasn't on blackout, and he liked to just go and sit and watch Tony create the future.

Tony tinkered away, and about an hour after Bucky arrived, stripped his sweatshirt off, wiping the sweat off his forehead as he did. As he tossed the shirt aside, leaving himself in just a tank-top, Bucky's eyes widened.

There, on Tony's right arm, was a carbon copy of the swirly pattern Bucky had drawn on his own arm earlier in the day.

"Holy shit," he murmured to himself, drawing Tony's attention. Tony looked over at him, and then followed his gaze to his own arm, eyes widening when he saw the black ink there.

"What…?"

"Doll," Bucky murmured, rolling his own sleeve up to show Tony the mess of swirls on his own arm. "I… you're my…"

Tony blinked, then looked back at his own arm. "I, uh, I guess that explains why you never answered, huh?"

Bucky's heart broke for Tony in that moment. "Doll, I'm so sorry—"

Tony shook his head. "Don't apologise for that, it wasn't your fault. I… Bucky, you know you don't have to… do anything, right? Like… I don't expect anything from you. Don't feel obligated—"

"I doodled on my arm to get my soulmate's attention to get my mind off the fact that I'm head over heels for you, Doll. No obligation here; I'm already crazy for you. You on the other hand… you shouldn't feel like you have too—"

His words were cut off when Tony abruptly moved forwards and interrupted Bucky's sentence by pressing their lips together. When he pulled back, Tony was blushing fiercely.

"Um. Sorry. Should have… probably asked first, right?"

"Consider this my blanket permission for you to kiss me anytime you want," Bucky said, tugging Tony closer as he grinned. He couldn't seem to force the smile from his face.

"I'm a little head over heels for you too, you know?" Tony murmured, nudging their noses together. "I think you're pretty great, Snowflake."

…

"You're sure about this?" Bucky asked.

Tony rolled his eyes. "Sure I'm sure. I want him."

Bucky nodded and smiled as the lady handed over the cat carrier. Inside was a little boy cat that Tony had decided must be called Yoda.

They wanted to get a friend for Penny, but that hadn't been going so well, since Tony wanted every animal they came across. Bucky wasn't far behind him, though he was sensible enough to know that they couldn't have them all.

Tony… Tony wanted to buy a new house, just so they could have all the animals.

"That does not make any sense, Doll. You don't want to move out of the tower. You can come and see them anytime right here, you know that, right?"

"I know," Tony pouted, "but what about when they get rehomed. We'll never see them again."

"Then there will be more for you to come and play with," Bucky replied with a small smile.

Tony nodded sullenly, and then turned back to the woman on the counter and handed over a small piece of paper. She read it and her eyes widened.

"Mr Stark, this is beyond generous!"

He grinned at her. "I'll make it a monthly donation if you promise to hold onto the little pup in the end kennel for a week for me while I convince Bucky that we need him."

She nodded, overwhelmed, and Tony smiled sweetly at Bucky, who groaned. He didn't need to wait a week to know that the puppy was coming home with them.

…

 _From then on, every time Tony wrote on his arm, be in purposefully, or when he was making notes for a project, Bucky replied. It didn't matter whether he was sitting beside Tony at the time, or if he was on a mission with Steve for S.H.I.E.L.D. Bucky made sure that Tony never felt ignored again._

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - C6. Fawn - An animal lover

Book Club - Rafe - Comforting someone / "I'm very nonthreatening, don't worry." / Laughter

Showtime - 46. Hurt/Comfort

Attic - 32. "I don't know what you heard, but whatever it is, [Name] started it."

Press Play - 3. "That does not make any sense."

Arcade - Reaper - Charcoal grey / Smirking / Enigma / Nighttime

Scamander's Case - 2. Thunderstorm

Film Festival - 16. Green

Marvel - Soul Stone - Soulmate!au

Days of the Year - 19. International kissing day - A First Kiss

Summer - 19. Thunderstorm

Colour - 6. Wine Red

Birthstone - 7. Beryl. "I promise not to fall for you." / "Don't make promises you can't keep."

Flowers - 10. Allium. Behest

Elemental - 9. Warmth

Gryffindor Trait - 14. Determined

365\. 145. Hypnotic


	79. TonySteve 23

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges list at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** -885

 **Pairing** \- TonySteve

* * *

 **The Upsides of Being Bedridden**

* * *

He felt it pierce the gold plating of the armour and plunge into his side. He called out in pain, or for help, he didn't know, it was a bit of a blur as he fell through the air. JARVIS managed to gain control of the suit in time to take it into a controlled landing, carefully laying his creator out on the streets of New York.

Everything seemed to happen so quickly and yet so slowly, and Tony wasn't sure if he was fading in and out of conscious or if JARVIS was malfunctioning because he was only getting fragmented words that didn't string together in any semblance of coherency.

"Hold on, Tony, medics are on route."

Tony thought that was Natasha, but his eyes had closed and they wouldn't open no matter how hard he tried. He wanted to speak, but his brain was sluggish, and he couldn't seem to control his tongue. It just felt thick and useless in his mouth.

"Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this?"

Tony wanted to tell Steve that he was fine-it would take more than this to take Tony out, hell, he was practically invincible with the amount of times he should have died and didn't.

He felt movement, and he wanted to ask who it was taking the armour off him, wanted to make sure it got sent back to the tower, where he could fix it when he escaped medical, but he couldn't and the next thing he knew he was on a gurney, on his way to S.H.I.E.L.D.

…

The first thing Tony was aware of when he woke up was that the beds in the medical wing of the Helicarrior needed an upgrade because it was bloody uncomfortable. Despite his many near misses, Tony didn't often land himself in one of the beds and it was only now that he realised just how shoddy they were.

The next thing he realised was that Steve was sleeping in the chair beside his bed. He looked awful, clothes dishevelled, hair a mess, bags under his eyes. Tony hadn't even realised that Steve could get bags under his eyes. What the hell was the super serum good for it he could still get that exhausted?

He shifted on the bed, trying to get more comfortable, only to let out an involuntary noise at the pain that shot through his left side when he tried to move.

Steve shot upright in his seat, eyes wide and immediately alert as he looked around the room for any threats before he settled on Tony.

The relief was so evident almost immediately, and Steve leant forwards onto the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"Like I need a better mattress," Tony croaked out. "And sheets that aren't yellow and grey. I look like I'm wrapped in a depressed bumblebee."

Steve snorted, and leant closer, taking Tony's hand in between both of his own. He pressed a kiss to the back of Tony's hand.

"You're not allowed to do shit like this," he said, his voice trembling a little. "I thought you were dead, Tony. I thought, I thought-"

"Hey," Tony interrupted, squeezing Steve's hand as best he could. "I'm okay, I'm alive, I'm right here. Stop with the morbid and start with the kissing. I want a kiss."

Steve hesitated for a moment before he gave in, standing so he could lean over Tony carefully and press a gentle kiss to his lips.

"You're not allowed to have yourself put in hospital," he murmured against Tony's lips when he pulled back just enough to speak.

"Kinda part of the job, Cap. We're not all super soldiers, you know?"

"I know," Steve agreed. "Which means you've gotta be even more careful than you tell me to be. I can't lose you, Tony, I can't."

Tony softened. "I know. I'm sorry. Soon as I'm better, I'll work on making the armour stronger around the torso, okay?"

Steve nodded and pressed another kiss to Tony's cheek.

"So… when can we blow this joint?" Tony asked, looking around. He was surprised none of the medical personnel had come in since he'd been awake. Steve rolled his eyes. "I'll go and get the doctor to come and speak to you, okay?"

Tony nodded, and Steve squeezed his hand before he gently dropped it to the sheets and stepped back. He was at the door when Tony called his name.

"Hmm?"

"Ask them if I can have some ice cream too."

"You probably can't have ice cream, Tony."

Tony frowned. "If they're confining me to this shitty mattress, there better be ice cream. And jello. What the hell is a hospital visit if they don't serve you shitty bland food?"

Steve rolled his eyes fondly and stepped out of the room. Tony watched his go and sighed. He knew his boyfriend, and this… it wasn't going to be pretty. Steve was going to be the worst kind of mother hen.

Then again… if it meant Tony could steal all of his attention for a while… maybe there was an upside to a pierced side and an uncomfortable mattress.

Second thoughts, Tony already had the majority of Steve's attention anyway, so… time to harass the staff into sending him home. He had his very own nursemaid and everything.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 36. Yellow

Amber's Attic - 40. "Is he breathing? Is he going to survive this?"

Funfair, North - Photo Booth - Zombie Theme - 1. Raggedy Clothes: Dishevelled

Funfair, East - Petting Zoo - Erumpent - Grey / Thick / Pierce

Funfair, South - Lazy River - Gold

365\. 152. Pierce


	80. TonySteve 24

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 2687

 **Pairing** \- SteveTony

* * *

 **Trapped (In Body and Mind)**

* * *

Tony rubbed his head and groaned. Either he'd been on a really bad bender, or he'd run into trouble, because his head felt like there was a ten piece drumming band practising on repeat.

He opened his eyes and frowned, looking around for a clue as to where he was.

"Tony?"

He started, turning his head to see Steve at the opposite side of whatever they were in, his eyes narrowed as though he was wincing in pain.

"Steve?" Tony asked, pushing himself into a sitting position, ignoring the protests of the muscles in his back. "What's going on?"

"I think we're trapped," Steve admitted. "You took a dive, I don't know what-"

"Oh," Tony interrupted, his memory returning. "They took my suit offline. I'm not sure how but… so we're trapped?"

Steve nodded.

"Fun," Tony grumbled. He stood up, checking around them carefully, but he could see where the debris had piled over them, held up by a shaky looking structure that Tony must have crashed into.

"How do we get out of here?" he mused, more to himself than Steve.

"The team will find us, Tony," Steve said, clearly trying to be comforting.

"Life's too short to trust in the best case scenario, Cap," Tony replied flatly, still feeling around carefully for any kind of breach in the debris that they could push their way through.

He didn't find anything, and he knew that despite how strong Steve was, there was no way could the soldier do anything about this. Admitting defeat, at least for the moment, he turned his attention to his suit. When he'd landed, a few of the parts had shattered, and the rest of it had come loose, which explained why he felt like one big human sized bruise.

It lay scattered around where he'd woken up, useless.

"They _will_ find us, Tony," Steve repeated.

Tony ignored him. It wasn't that he didn't trust the team, especially given that he was trapped with Steve and they'd never leave him behind, but there was just still a lot of… unease.

They hadn't long since come back together following Steve and Tony's _minor disagreement_ over Barnes and the accords, and though they'd worked well as a team once more to fight against Thanos, it hadn't been so simple or easy off the field.

Especially between him and Steve.

So, Tony really just wanted to escape and go back to his lab where he didn't have to deal with emotions.

He picked through the red and gold scraps, his mind racing as he tried to think of a way to make them into something that would get them the hell out of there, but the drummers were still practising their god awful banging, and it was disturbing his ability to think.

"Tony," Steve hissed. "Would you just sit down! You can't control everything, this is beyond your control!"

"I am the one thing in life I _can_ control, Steve. And I think I can build a way out of here, if I could only _think_!"

Steve shook his head but stayed silent, watching Tony from where he sat with his back to a crumbled wall.

Eventually, Tony admitted defeat on the suit scraps too and slumped back down against the wall closest to where he'd originally woken up. He couldn't think when his head hurt so much, and he really just wanted to go to sleep.

Maybe when he woke up, it would all just be a horrible nightmare and he'd be back in his own bed-or more likely, he'd be on the old sofa in his workshop, with DUM-E poking at him with a smoothie that was undrinkable.

That sounded like a little slice of heaven right about now.

"I shouldn't have lied to you."

Tony flinched, staring at Steve speechless for a moment because why on earth would he think now was a good time for this?

"This isn't a conversation we should be having," he said eventually, shaking his head.

"When else are we going to have it?" Steve challenged. "I've tried to speak to you so many times since I got back, but you've been avoiding me."

" _Because I don't want to have this conversation,"_ Tony reiterated firmly. "Seriously, just let it go, Steve. Everyone fucked up, end of story."

Steve shook his head. "If that was the end of the story, things would be back to normal and they're not. Everyone is following us, trying to find the new normal, the best way to interact with each other, but if we can't do that, what chance does the rest of the team have?"

Tony rolled his eyes, wincing when it just made his head hurt more. "They're all adults, Steve. I'm sure they can find ways to interact with each other without playing follow the leader with us."

"You're so stubborn," Steve muttered, though oddly it sounded more fond than anything else.

"Hi pot, I'm kettle," Tony retorted.

Steve snorted. "I probably deserved that."

Tony didn't reply, closing his eyes against the little bits of light filtering through. He didn't want to think about what would happen if the team didn't find them before it went dark out.

He hadn't done well in the dark since Afghanistan, and being trapped wouldn't help that in the slightest. The last thing he needed was to prove to Steve that he was unstable and weak.

"Don't go to sleep," Steve said, voice gentle and soft now. "We don't know if you have a concussion."

"I don't," Tony muttered. "Just a headache. I'm fine."

Steve said something else, but Tony paid him no mind, drifting off. It was the only way to not have to deal with both the situation and the pounding in his head.

…

"Tony? Tony!"

"Hmm? What?" Tony asked, blinking his eyes open. "Someone here?"

"Not yet," Steve replied. "But I thought I'd better check if you were okay?"

"I was until you woke me up," Tony grumbled. Thankfully, his headache had subsided mostly, leaving behind a much more manageable ache in it's place. "How long has it been?"

"Three hours," Steve replied, sighing. "The team have got to be close now."

Tony nodded. "They'll have to be careful though. One wrong move, and it could send all the debris directly in on us. They'll be taking it slow because of that, so we're still going to be here for a while."

The two of them sat in silence for a while, which thankfully wasn't too awkward, until Steve cleared his throat and Tony's heart sank.

"I miss you."

"I'm right here."

"You know exactly what I mean," Steve argued. "I miss _you,_ Tony. Whenever we speak now, I get Iron Man. I like him just fine, but it's _you_ I want to talk to."

"I am Iron Man, Cap," Tony replied, his lips tilting slightly.

Steve shook his head. "Tony-"

"Alright, alright, I get it," Tony said, holding his hands up. "I guess… it's easier to be distant when I'm in the suit. It's easier to not be hurt when you're just a metal can. You really hurt me, Steve, and I can't just move on past that like it's nothing."

"I know I did, and I'm so sorry, Tony. I never… I never wanted it to happen like that. I never wanted to fight you the way I did."

Tony shook his head. "I'm not talking about Siberia, Steve. Hell, I started that fight and I was a very willing participant in it. If it was just that…"

"Tony?"

"You didn't trust me," Tony said eventually, head down. "You lied to me, or withheld important information about _my_ parents, and then when I found out… Steve you shouldn't have fought me. That's not what… I was emotionally compromised and instead of holding me down until I settled, you _fought me._ And then…. you left me behind. I don't… the physical is nothing, because well, physical things heal but that… I don't know how to move past that."

Steve didn't answer for a moment and when Tony looked up, it was to see him crying, silent tears falling down his cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered.

Tony swallowed hard, tears in his own eyes blurring his vision. This was why he didn't want to have this conversation. Talking about emotions _hurt._

"When I found out, I didn't know it was him," Steve said, voice low and choked. "I swear to you, I didn't know that it was Bucky. And I didn't know how to tell you. It was, I wanted to, but then, I didn't want to hurt you, and I guess I thought that… if you didn't know about it, it didn't matter because it was years ago and you were _happy,_ Tony. I know, I know I fucked up, I really do and I understand if you can't get past it, if you can't forgive me for what I did. I just… I have no excuses. I just really didn't want to be the one to hurt you, and it was selfish and stupid and I wish I could fix it."

The tears fell from Tony's eyes, splashing down onto his cheeks. He stared at the wall, unable to look at Steve, because crying was a weakness that he didn't generally allow himself; especially not in front of other people.

He heard Steve shifting around, but he didn't look at him until he felt a warmth by his side, a hesitant hand running through his hair.

Tony thought about moving away, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. It had been so long since someone had touched him in a friendly way that he couldn't help but lean into the warmth, into the hand tousling his hair.

Steve seemed to take that as an unspoken permission, because suddenly he was everywhere, his arms wrapped around Tony, tugging him as close as he could as he clung to him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered again, pressing his face against Tony's collarbone.

Unable to bring himself to pull away, slowly Tony wrapped his own arms around Steve, holding him just as tightly.

He'd missed Steve so much since Siberia, and oddly, it had been even worse since he came back to New York, because having him there but untouchable was so much worse than having him not there at all.

"I missed you too," he said eventually, when he could trust himself to speak without sobbing. "I know it seems like I've been… well. I know I haven't been exactly welcoming, I just…. You scare me, Steve. Out of everyone I know… you're the only one that could actually destroy me if you put your mind to it."

"Tony! I would never-"

"I don't mean physically, Steve."

Steve was silent for a few moments, and Tony wondered if he'd said too much. Just as he was about to pull out of Steve's embrace, a large, warm hand cupped his cheek, pulling his face around gently so that they were eye to eye.

"I've been in love before," Steve said. "And I waited too long. Ever since Siberia, I thought I had done the same thing but… if there's a chance, if there's hope…. I'll work for it, Tony. I'll earn your forgiveness, I'll-"

"Steve, love isn't something you can work for. It's either there or it's not," Tony paused. "I've been in love with you for so long, and I just… I thought it was… I didn't think we would-"

"Tony, I love you."

Tony swallowed hard. Hearing it in the abstract was one thing, having it said so blatantly was another thing entirely.

Steve leant forwards and brushed his lips against Tony's, once twice, and a third time when Tony pushed forward, reciprocating and deepening the kiss.

"I love you," he gasped, when he pulled away, panting and utterly overwhelmed.

"I know. I'm sorry I made you wait," Steve whispered, tugging Tony until he was sitting in Steve's lap, completely surrounded by the super-soldier.

…

Tony stirred, comfortable and warm. Light was streaming in through a hole in the debris, and Natasha was peering down at them.

"Are you two alright?" she called down.

Tony could hear a frisson of concern in her tone, strange when she was usually the one they could bank on to be calm during any kind of disaster.

"We're fine," Steve called back. "Could use some water though, if you've got any bottles handy?"

A few seconds later, two bottles of cold water were tossed down to them. Steve leant forward and grabbed them both without disturbing Tony from his lap. He opened the first and handed it to Tony, who gulped it down greedily.

The water was probably the best drink he'd ever tasted. Steve gulped the second bottle just as greedily as the rest of the team worked to dislodge enough of the debris to get Steve and Tony out.

Tony clung to Steve's uniform with one hand, staring up at the widening hole above them. It felt like a dream, even though they were still there after he'd woken up.

"I'm still here," Steve murmured. "It happened, sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere, not ever again."

It would take time for Tony to believe that. They both knew it, but that was okay. They had time.

"We should be able to pull you out now," Nat called.

The two of them stood up, and Tony grinned up at Steve. "Come on then, Capsicle, gimme a leg up."

The nickname fell from his lips so naturally, Steve almost didn't catch it, but when he did, his smile was blinding. It had been so long since Tony had just casually thrown out a nickname for him.

With Steve's help, Tony was pulled out first, and as soon as his legs hit solid ground, he was on his phone, calling for the Iron Legion to head down and pick up the many parts of his destroyed suit.

He probably wouldn't fix it, given that this was just an easy excuse to build a new suit, but he couldn't leave the pieces down there. It would be too easy for some villain to come in and build something dangerous with it-Tony had learned that lesson well enough already.

Steve was pulled out next, laughing at Clint who mimed having a broken back from his weight. Tony was jealous for a moment, but then Steve turned bright blue eyes on him, and he remembered that he could have this too. The team had been trying, it had been Tony himself that was secluding himself away from them, scared to let them back in after they'd so thoroughly trampled on his heart the first time.

The look in Steve's eyes was enough to ignite even the most dead of libido's and Tony had to turn away, his cheeks colouring a dusty rose pink that he'd deny if anyone called him out on.

"You good, Tones?" Rhodey asked, the faceplate of the War Machine armour flipped up to reveal his relieved face.

Tony nodded and smiled at his best friend. "Yeah. Yeah, I think I really am."

…

Tony's tan skin against Steve's paler skin was much more interesting than the movie playing on the tv. Steve was stroking his fingers lightly up and down Tony's arm, as he watched Jurassic Park. Tony couldn't tear his eyes away from the contrasting skin tones.

Movie nights had become a regular thing again-or rather, Tony going to movie nights had become a regular thing again, except now, he had a reason to sprawl all over Steve on the loveseat, Pepper's lavender scatter cushions all around them for maximum comfort.

It was a _thing_ now.

"You okay?" Steve asked, apparently noticing that Tony wasn't paying attention to the screen.

Tony nodded and turned his head to press a quick kiss against Steve's arm.

He'd grown up with fame and fortune, but this, knowing that here with Steve and his team, he might actually get his happily ever after, it was more valuable than anything his money could buy.

"I'm perfect."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Assorted Appreciation - 2. "I know. I'm sorry I made you wait."

Trope of the Month - 5. "How do we get out of here."

Space - 7. Blue

Book Club - Birdie - "You really hurt me, [Name]." / Jealous / Nickname / Stubborn

Showtime - 33. Laughing

Attic - 13. "I am the one thing in life I can control."

Press Play - 11. Life's too short to trust in the best case scenario."

Liza Loves - 3. Write about someone strong.

Arcade - Zarya - Rose Pink / Happily Ever After / Strong / Fame and fortune

Scamander - 15. Stubborn

Film Festival - 28 "I've been in love before."

Funfair, North - How Many - Jar of Beads - 2. "This isn't a conversation we should be having."

Funfair, East - Bingo - Trope Board - Locked in/Trapped

Funfair, South - Guess The Name - Rabastan - Escape

Pop Figure - 1. Red / 2. Crying / 4. Tousling someone's hair

Mythology - 6. Speechless

Days of the Year - 9. Someone touch starved

Summer - 6. Tan

Colour - 1. Lavender

Elemental - 4. Ignite

Gryffindor - 2. Gold

365 - 150. Valuable


	81. SteveTonyBucky 6

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Pairing** \- TonySteveBucky

 **Word Count** \- 363

* * *

 **Who Has Time For That?**

* * *

"We could totally take over the world," Tony said, propping himself up against Steve's chest. "With my brains, your brawn and," he glanced at Bucky, "your prettiness, we totally got this covered."

"Prettiness?" Bucky asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. You're very pretty. The world will be our oyster, and I don't even like oysters. Think about it—"

"Tony, we're not taking over the world," Steve said, brushing his fingers through Tony's hair. It was getting long again, but Steve liked it so Tony had been procrastinating on cutting it.

"You are the worst, Steve," Tony complained, pushing his head back into Steve's hand, enjoying the petting. "No imagination."

Bucky snorted. "Oh, I'm sure he has some imagination, Doll. He just doesn't put his imagination into taking over the world. I think he thinks… smaller, but… more interesting."

Tony made a noise of interest, even as his eyes fell shut. He did so love it when Steve played with his hair, but it never failed to send him into a doze.

He jumped when Steve's lips pressed gently behind his ear before trailing down to his neck, kissing and licking and nipping at the skin there.

"Stevie, share," Bucky complained, after a few minutes passed and Tony was panting softly from Steve's ministrations.

"Busy," Steve replied distractedly.

"You don't love me," Bucky complained.

Steve huffed and pulled away from Tony's neck to glare at Bucky. "You're an idiot."

"I'm just saying, if you really loved me, you would share him," Bucky whined.

"Nobody is stopping you from joining in, Snowflake," Tony murmured, making grabby hands at Bucky. "C'mere."

Bucky crawled up Tony's body until he was cradled between Tony's legs and arms. Steve leant over Tony's shoulder to share a kiss with Bucky before he returned his attention to Tony's neck and shoulder.

Bucky pressed butterfly kisses to Tony's face before he captured his lips in a deep kiss that forced a moan from Tony's lips and left him breathless.

"Hmm, I think you have the right idea," Tony murmured. "Who has time to take over the world when we could be doing this instead?"

"I knew you'd see it our way," Steve replied.

* * *

 **Written for;**

Disney - D2. "The world will be our oyster, and I don't even like oysters."

Showtime - 10. Helpless: (dialogue) "I'm just saying, if you really loved me, you would share him."

Attic - 12. "You are the worst, [Name]."

365 - 209. Breathless.


	82. TonySteve 25

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 2779

* * *

 **families are not always bound by blood**

* * *

"Why are there neon green cushions on my couch?"

Clint looked up and grinned, stretching out like a cat. "I thought they'd add some colour to the place."

"That's it, guys," Tony said, shaking his head. "Time to get rid of Clint. He's gone too far this time."

Nat chuckled. "So it's okay when he gets over excited about games and breaks things, but bring in some cushions and he's done?"

Nodding, Tony replied, "They're _neon green_ , Nat. How the hell am I supposed to look at them without wanting to vomit when I'm hungover?"

"You're always wearing sunglasses anyway," Clint replied, waving a hand at the sunglasses currently perched amongst the artful mess of Tony's hair. "So it won't matter."

Tony rolled his eyes and slumped down on the second couch beside Steve. "See what I have to put up with from these delinquents, Cap? You're supposed to control them."

Steve just chuckled and nudged their shoulders together. "If you think I can control any of you lot off the battlefield—and on it more often than not—you're blind and dumb."

Tony huffed out a laugh and relaxed deeper into the soft cushions of the couch. Oddly enough, these kind of conversations happened a lot nowadays. It was kinda like what Tony thought being a family would be like—except with his team instead of a family.

Then again, they were probably more family than team now. It was a novel concept to Tony, who'd grown up being shunned and ignored by his own family and those that were supposed to care for or love him.

It had taken some getting used to, that was for sure.

…

"You're wearing a beige sweater," Nat said, brow furrowed. "Why are you wearing a beige sweater?"

Tony snorted, looking between Natasha and Steve from his perch on the kitchen counter. He'd come up for coffee from the workshop and been dragged into staying to eat with them, because Steve was cooking and Steve also had the most dangerous blue puppy eyes in the world.

"Um," Steve said, looking up from the sauce he was stirring. He glanced down at the beige sweater in question and then back at Nat. "I like it?"

"Oh, you poor child," she murmured, shaking her head. "I should take you shopping. I'm going to do that. Tomorrow, we're going shopping."

"What's wrong with my clothes?" Steve asked.

"Nothing, if you're an eighty year old pensioner," Nat replied, shrugging. "I mean, you're cute Steve. Really. But… that's tragic."

"Um. Thank you?"

"Pretty sure that's not a compliment," Tony injected, smirking over his coffee cup.

"She called me cute," Steve replied with a shrug. "That's complimentary."

"She also used the word tragic," Tony replied. "Which… is not."

"Carry on and I won't make that peach cobbler you love so much," Steve warned.

Tony gasped, pressing a hand to his chest. "I bought the peaches especially, Steve! You can't threaten me like that, it's not good for my heart!"

"Please," Bruce said, walking into the room. "You're going to outlive us all, what are you talking about?"

Tony snorted.

…

"Can't sleep?"

Tony shook his head, slumping down onto the chair beside Clint on the balcony of the main Avenger's floor. "You?"

Clint shrugged. "I love looking up at the stars and it was a clear night. Guess I lost track of the time."

"I wouldn't have taken you for a stargazer," Tony said, wrinkling his nose.

"I grew up on a circus, Tony. I spent so many nights outside, I may as well have just lived there instead of in a tent."

"Fair. Guess I didn't think of that. I… I used to love stargazing when I was younger. It was one of the few things that I could engage with my mom about—on the nights she didn't have some socialite thing, anyway."

Clint made an interested noise, looking at Tony instead of the night sky.

"Hmm. Even after she died, I still did it occasionally. Taking that missile up… it ruined it for me, for a while. Then I realised I'd never get over the fear if I didn't face it."

"You still have nightmares about the wormhole?"

Tony shrugged. "Occasionally."

"I still have nightmares about Loki sometimes," Clint admitted quietly. "I have to get up and find a mirror to make sure that my eyes aren't blue whenever it happens, because I'm always scared it's happened again."

"The superhero business isn't as glamorous as it said on the pamphlet," Tony griped. "I want a refund."

Clint laughed but shook his head. "No you don't."

Tony's lips quirked up. "No. I don't."

…

"I'm going to hell and I'm late for it," Tony muttered under his breath, looking away from the tantalising image in front of him.

"What a way to go though," Clint agreed, grinning, not bothering to take his eyes off Natasha and Steve on the sparring mat.

Ever since Natasha took Steve shopping, Steve had been wearing tighter clothing. Even for working out. Tony was suddenly much happier to call down by the gym if he wasn't busy when he knew the Captain was working out—even if he always pretended that he had actual things to be doing there.

"All we need now is Thor, and the picture would be complete," Tony murmured, amused. "That might even be a sight worth dying for."

The blush on Steve's cheeks told Tony that the Super Soldier had heard every word, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

…

"That's adorable."

Steve looked up at him and frowned. "What?"

Tony blinked. "Did I say that out loud? Oops."

Steve snorted but tilted his head to the side. "What's adorable."

Tony waved his hand at Steve. "That. You're reading a newspaper."

"I… always read the news, Tony."

"But you're reading a newspaper. Like… a real one. Paper and everything. I didn't even know that was still a thing."

Laughing, Steve got up from the kitchen table and waved his hand at Tony to take a seat. "Sit, I'll get you some coffee. Obviously you need it."

…

Tony sat on the roof. It was late at night, and usually it was only nightmares that drove him up there, but not this eve. He was feeling contemplative. Looking over New York, he couldn't help but wonder how his life had changed so much.

Ever since the Battle of New York, after which he'd grudgingly agreed to host the Avengers in Stark Tower, his life had been changing.

Not all for the good, but a lot of it had been.

He'd lost Pepper, though he wasn't really sure he had, because she was still in his life, still one of his best friends, still a woman he loved beyond words. They just weren't a 'them' anymore. They were two separate people again.

At first, he'd thought that it was never going to stop hurting, but it did. He didn't blame Pepper, didn't even really blame himself. Pepper couldn't be Iron Man's girlfriend, and Tony couldn't not be Iron Man. It was a part of who he was, and he didn't think he'd change that even if he could.

And then there was the team. At first, Tony hadn't believed it would be a good thing. He'd even kind of hoped the 'Avenger's Initiative' would fall apart at the seams, but it hadn't and he was very glad for that now.

He'd found a family in a team of people who fit together even against the insurmountable odds stacked against them. He'd found people he could trust implicitly to have his back or call him out on his bullshit at a moments notice, and for whom he'd do the same in return.

Footsteps behind him broke into his thoughts and he turned to see Natasha standing by the doorway, her hands raised.

"I come in peace," she offered, stepping towards him.

Tony patted the floor beside himself, silently inviting her to join him.

"Nightmares?" she asked, leaning back against the wall next to him. She was warm, and he leant into it a little. He hadn't noticed how cold it had gotten until he had a heat source so close by.

"Nah. Just… thinking."

She nodded. "I get it, you know."

He smiled, because of all of them, she probably did get it better that the rest.

"You're a bunch of sneaky sneaks," he replied. "You managed to sneak under my barriers before I even had a chance to raise them against you properly."

"At first, I thought it was risky, putting a group of such… temperamental personalities together in a relatively small space," she said quietly. "Every instinct I have screamed danger. But… it surprised me, because it worked. _We_ work. We fit."

Tony snorted. "How can you talk about 'risky' with the _risque_ clothes you've got Cap parading around in?" he asked, lightening the mood immediately.

Nat laughed freely, and it was a sound Tony still loved to hear because he didn't think she did that much before the Avengers.

"Are you telling me you're not enjoying it?"

"Oh, no, keep up the good work."

…

Tony winced when Steve landed the punch on the reporter. He'd pulled it, and the asshole wasn't in danger of brain damage or anything—though his nose definitely looked broken—but Tony was more worried about what the media would make of it.

That Steve had done it on live TV didn't make it better. Tony couldn't even pay them off to scrap the recording of it.

He hustled Steve out of the studio as quickly as he could, calling Happy to meet them at the back entrance with the car.

"I'm sorry," Steve murmured, the adrenaline leaving him as they climbed into the back seat of the car. Thankfully, the windows were tinted, so the undoubtedly waiting press wouldn't be able to get any pictures of them. "I didn't… I just couldn't listen to him talk about you like that anymore."

"It's nothing that hasn't been said a million times," Tony said, a little distractedly as he talked to Pepper rapidly by text, trying to get their lawyers and press people on the job as quickly as he could to do some damage control.

"I know, I just… you were right there, and he was being a rude jerk, and I am really sorry, Tony. I know this could cause some problems, I'm—"

"Don't worry about it," Tony murmured, patting Steve's thigh. "I… thanks. Nobody's ever… well. Thanks. But you know, probably don't do it again."

Neither of them mentioned the way Tony's hand remained on Steve's thigh until they were climbing out of the car in the Tower garage.

…

"Shall we call for takeaway? I don't feel like cooking," Steve offered, looking around at the team. They were all sprawled out in various locations around the room, each of them looking worse for wear.

"Do whatever you want," Tony mumbled. "I'm super dead."

Steve nodded and brushed a hand through Tony's hair. "What do you want to eat."

Tony made a pitiful noise and attempted to shrug his shoulders, but every single one of his muscles ached.

Taking the hint, Steve said, "J.A.R.V.I.S, could you just send one of our usual orders in to the local pizza place, please?"

A few seconds later, the AI confirmed the order had been sent, and that he'd have one of the workers downstairs help bring it up to the floor. Usually, one of the team would go down and get the food when they called for take-out, but none of them wanted to move.

Even Steve was aching, which with his considerable healing, was saying something. He hadn't even bothered putting his gear away yet—his shield was beside him, leaning up against the sofa.

They were all silent for a while, most of them dozing. Tony had his face pressed against Steve's thigh, occasionally a small whine leaving him when he moved. Steve wanted to insist the genius go and get checked out by medical, but he knew how well that would go down.

Hopefully, Bruce would check Tony out if he was still aching after they'd all got some rest. Even though he complained, Tony submitted to Bruce's checks far easier than he did to S.H.I.E.L.D medical.

The food arrived, and Steve thanked the security guards who brought it up and set it on the table for them. He nudged Tony gently as the other's stirred, each reaching out to grab their own orders.

"C'mon, Shellhead, you'll feel better if you eat."

Tony shook his head, burying his face even closer against Steve's leg. Undeterred, Steve gently nudged at Tony until he was sitting up, his eyes drowsy and pained. They ate, a movie playing in the background, chosen by J.A.R.V.I.S.

Eventually, Tony gave up on the food and slumped into Steve once more, his need for sleep greater than his need for sustenance. He'd eaten a slice and a half of pizza though, so Steve didn't prod him anymore. He shifted himself and raised his arm, wrapping it carefully around the smaller man to hold him steady and still, so he couldn't hurt himself any further.

As one, the team slept in the common room, unwilling to part after such a hard battle. While their beds would surely be comfortable, nothing could beat the moment when they opened their eyes to see their family, worse for wear but _alive_ , around them.

…

"Do you want to come flying with me?"

Steve looked up at Tony. "Hmm?"

"I'm going to take the suit out for a spin. Do you want to come?"

"I… I'd love too."

When they landed, Steve still felt exhilarated, the speed and confidence with which Tony moved through the air in the suit magical to him. Even as a super soldier, there were still things he couldn't do himself, and the fact that Tony must have noticed the covetous way Steve looked at the suit sometimes touched him.

"That was amazing," he said, as soon as the suit was taken off Tony.

Tony grinned back. "I thought you might have been a little mad at me for some of those dives," he admitted. "You're always mad at me when I get reckless."

"You _are_ reckless," Steve confirmed. "But… I guess I understand why. It felt incredible."

Tony's smile widened. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Steve."

"Thank you, Tony. I… thank you."

…

The burn was awful, and Steve winced as he was patched up. Thankfully, it wouldn't take long for it to heal, but for the moment, he couldn't help but wish he was still affected by pain relief.

The door crashed open and Tony rushed into the room.

"You're never, _ever,_ allowed to call me reckless ever again," he declared. "You're a bloody idiot! You could have been killed!"

"I had too—"

"The suit could have taken it, Steve, I would have been _fine!_ You're not allowed to die! You're not! I love you to much—" Tony paled when he realised what he'd said and stumbled back towards the door.

Steve reached out for him, crying out in pain when it pulled at the burn.

"Don't hurt yourself even more!" Tony said, stepping forwards so Steve could take his hand. "I didn't mean to say that, I'm sorry if I've made things awkward, but—"

"I love you too," Steve said, tugging Tony closer, until he was right by the side of the bed. "And the only problem is timing, because I really want to kiss you, but I don't want to move—"

Tony leant down and pressed their lips together in a chaste kiss. "That's all you get right now because I'm mad at you."

Steve's lips quirked up in a smile. "That's okay. I can wait."

…

Tony stood in the kitchen, coffee in hand, as he prepared himself for a day of meetings which were sure to be dull and boring. Putting the empty cup down with a sigh, he fell against Steve's side.

"I don't wanna go," he complained. "They're going to melt my brains out of my ears."

Steve chuckled and tucked a hand under Tony's chin to raise it so he could kiss him. "Have a good day," he murmured. "I love you."

"Hmm, love you too," Tony replied. He stepped away and towards the door, waving at the others gathered around the table.

"Love you infinity," Clint called teasingly, grinning when Tony flipped him off.

Tony shook his head and stepped into the elevator. Yeah, he'd never expected it, but he couldn't deny it. The Avengers were the best family he could ask for.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - T4. Found Family - Trope; Found Family

Book Club - Grace - Beige Sweater / Peaches / "Pretty sure that's not a compliment." / Punching someone

Showtime - 29. Newspaper

Amber's Attic - 30. "Do whatever you want. I'm super dead."

Press Play - 6. "I'm going to hell and I'm late for it."

Angel's Arcade - Reinhardt - Undeterred / Shield / Confidence

Scamander's Case - 3. Danger

Film Festival - 5. Found Family

Marvel - Space Stone - Blue / "I love looking up at the stars." / Infinity / Exhilarated

Days of the Year - 71. 21st Sept, International Peace Day - "I come in peace."

Summer - 7. Sunglasses

Colour - 10. Neon Green

Birthstone - 8. Jasper - "That's it, guys. Time to get rid of [Name]."

Flowers - 7. Periwinkle - Risque

Elemental - 1. Burn

Gryffindor - 5. Reckless

Star Chart - 5. Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower - Stargazing

365\. 143. Sneak


	83. TonySteve 26

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 477

* * *

 **Every Word**

* * *

"That didn't happen."

"Oh, but it did. Pepper named her feral cat after him and everything."

Steve was laughing so hard it actually hurt his stomach, and when Happy pulled up at the hotel, he'd already taken the luggage out and handed it off to a porter before Steve could manage to climb out of the car.

"I didn't even know Pepper had a cat," he said, glancing at Tony, who grinned widely.

"Well, you wouldn't, would you? It's feral."

He flipped the collar on his jacket against the wind and led the way into the hotel.

…

"I still don't understand why Fury is forcing this," Steve complained as the two of them got ready for the press conference. "I don't actually understand why the media is so obsessed with us. We just did a press release a few weeks ago."

"The media likes… anything that people could be interested in, I guess. And the public are very interested in superheroes. And it doesn't hurt that you're hot and like, the epitome of good. Hell most of the team are, and even me; I'm not good, not bad, but I sure as hell ain't ugly."

He shrugged, his movement graceful even in it's carelessness. He fastened the silky, forest green shirt and smiled at Steve, who was watching him with bemusement.

"How do you still not realise how much good is in you?" Steve asked, when he finally got his thoughts in order.

Tony rolled his eyes. "I've still got a lot of red to clear from—"

"That's not how it works," Steve interrupted firmly. "You're so good, Tony. You're kind and generous and you work so hard to protect not just the people you know and love but people that you don't even know. Of all of us… you do more to protect the world than anyone else."

"Steve—"

"No. I'm done listening to you be cruel about yourself. You're so good, Tony."

Tony swallowed hard and blushed, looking away.

…

With the conference done—with nice reporters for a change, ones that didn't make Steve want to be invisible—the two of them chose to walk back to the hotel so they could stop for something to eat.

They were almost back, having just stopped at a street vendor for hotdogs, when Tony tugged on Steve's sleeve.

"What you said earlier—"

"I meant every word, Tony."

"I just… I don't see myself that way. But… I guess, thanks?"

Steve snorted. "Don't hurt yourself."

"No, I guess I… I don't know, Steve. I'm not used to… I mean, Pepper and Rhodey but…"

Steve took Tony's hand in his own and squeezed. "I get it. You're welcome. And I meant it, Tony. Every single word."

The doorman tipped his hat as they walked into the hotel, but neither of them noticed. They were too focused on each other.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 24. Luggage

Attic - 9. "[Name] named her cat after him."

Arcade - McCree - Jacket / "I'm not good, not bad, but I sure as hell ain't ugly." / Tipping his hat.

North Funfair - Rat Race - 25. Windy

East Funfair - Petting Zoo - Demiguise - Invisible / Graceful / Silky

South Funfair - Lazy River - Forest Green

365\. 212. Cruel


	84. TonySteve 27

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 338

* * *

 **Maybe One Day**

* * *

"Sir, Captain Roger's is requesting entrance."

Tony looked up from his work and then around to the glass door, where Steve was indeed waiting.

"Let him in, J."

The door opened and Steve stepped inside, looking around at all the electric blue projections.

"Welcome to my reality," Tony greeted with a grin, waving his hand above his many projects. "What can I do for you?"

"I, uh. I guess I just… wanted some different company?" Steve offered with a half shrug. "I went to Clint but… I should go, you're busy and—"

"Yeah, he's not the choice I would have gone with. He's an idiot. Fortunate for you, I should be done in like, half an hour? We can go eat if you want?"

Steve nodded eagerly. "That sounds good… though you probably shouldn't insult our team mate?"

Tony snorted. "He _is_ an idiot. But… he's our idiot so…" he shrugged. "Just… make yourself comfortable, Cap. I'll be with you soon."

Tony pointed vaguely at the sofa and then turned back to his work. Steve did as he was told and made himself comfortable, watching Tony work.

…

Half an hour was closer to an hour by the time that Tony was finished, but Steve didn't mind the wait. It wasn't often he got the chance to watch Tony so unguarded like this. The man was so… Tony. It was the only word Steve could think to describe him.

He craved time spent with him, and Tony managed to lure him in doing nothing at all; he was like a magnet, drawing Steve in constantly.

"You ready, Champ?" Tony asked, raising an eyebrow. He'd stood up and so lost in thought, Steve hadn't noticed.

He felt his cheeks heat, more so when Tony let out a cackle of a laugh.

"I'm ready. Let's go eat."

Tony led the way out of the workshop, and for a moment, Steve allowed himself to fantasize about taking his hand and walking around New York hand in hand.

Maybe… maybe one day.

* * *

 **Written For:**

Showtime - 34. Insulting someone

Attic - 14. "Yeah, he's not the choice I would have gone with."

Arcade - Symmetra - Electric Blue / "Welcome to my reality." / Waving a hand above something.

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Doctor Who - 2. Sonic Screwdriver - Blue

East Funfair - Petting Zoo - Erkling - Pointed / Cackle / Lure

South Funfair - Test Your Strength - Average Level - "I should go."

365\. 220. Fortunate.


	85. TonySteve 28

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 439

* * *

 **Not Complaining**

* * *

"That's my alcohol, Barton! Bring it back or I'll destroy you, you sneaky sneak thief!" Tony huffed and turned around into Steve's waiting arms. "I'm not impressed with him, Steve."

Steve chuckled, but levelled a _look_ at Clint. "Give Tony back the bottle, Clint."

Clint huffed and put the bottle back on the bar, rolling his eyes at the smug look on the genius' face. "You're so overprotective now, Cap. You never let us have any fun."

"Stealing my alcohol isn't fun, Barton! Especially my several thousand pound bottle of champagne that I've been saving for years for a special occasion!"

"Special occasion?" Bruce asked, looking up.

"What's going on?" Natasha asked, wandering over to the bar area of the main living area.

"I… asked Tony to marry me," Steve said, grinning ear to ear. "And he said yes. Obviously. That's why it's an occasion."

There was a momentary silence as the revelation sunk in, and then the team were gathered around, congratulating Tony and Steve with enthusiasm, happy for their team leaders.

"We need cake!" Clint announced. "Cake and champagne!"

"I concur," Tony said, apparently forgetting his anger that Clint tried to steal his alcohol. "Get cake!"

…

"This cake is so moist!" Steve said, immediately going in for another bite.

"Ew."

Steve blinked and looked up at Tony. "What?"

" _Moist."_

"Erm… what about it?"

"We don't use that word in this house. It's gross."

Clint and Nat both nodded.

"It's practically banned," Natasha said wisely, washing her own cake down with champagne.

"Okay," Steve said slowly, frowning as he wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his pastel blue jumper. It clashed horribly with Tony's scarlet t-shirt, but Tony liked them to clash. He was a weirdo.

A weirdo with an aversion to the word moist, apparently.

…

Later, when Nat and Clint had gone to spar, and Bruce had wandered off muttering something about 'biotic interactions', whatever that meant, Steve pulled Tony on top of him on the sofa.

"I love you."

Tony smiled and lowered his head to press a kiss to Steve's lips. "I love you too. Even though you use _that_ word. You weirdo."

Steve snorted and rolled his eyes. "Uh huh. You wanna watch a movie?"

"Hmm, sure. Only if I can stay here though. You're even comfier than my mattress."

Steve wasn't going to argue with that. While he could understand why some people would object to being compared to a mattress, he was quite happy. It meant he had a warm, snuggly Tony pressed against him, and that he could bury his face against Tony's hair.

Yeah… definitely not complaining.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 5. Revelation

Attic - 25. "That's my alcohol!"

Arcade - Ana - "I'm not impressed." / Biotic / Overprotective

North Funfair - Splash a Mod - Sophie - Moist

East Funfair - Pie Eating - Mississippi Mud - Pastel Blue

South Funfair - Lazy River - Scarlet

365 - 188. Destroy


	86. TonySteve 29

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 407

* * *

 **Paradise**

* * *

"Care to explain to me why we found the villain dead, pistol by his hand but no sign of a bullet wound?"

"I may have punched him. It's a blur, sir," Steve admitted, never taking his eyes off the sleeping man in the bed.

Fury softened slightly and in an oddly kind tone said, "He's going to be okay, Steve. The doctors are expecting him to wake up later today."

Steve nodded tiredly. Until he saw those beautiful brown eyes for himself, he knew he wouldn't be able to relax. Tony needed to be okay.

There was no other option.

"If you don't mind, Sir, can we save the reprimand for later?"

Fury sighed. "I've said what I needed to say. Get some rest," and before Steve could interrupt, he added, "I meant get in bed with him. You being near should help him heal a little quicker anyway."

Steve nodded and, as soon as Fury was out of the room, he stood up and gently eased Tony across the bed and climbed in beside him, carefully wrapping the smaller man in his arms.

…

"Hmm, Steve," Tony murmured as he woke up. "Steve?"

Steve brushed his hair from his face, and waited for Tony to open his eyes. When he did, Steve smiled down at him. "Hey you."

"Hey yourself. What happened?"

"You got shot," Steve told him. "You jumped in front of me, but whatever bullets he had in that pistol, they went straight through your suit. I thought—"

"Hey, hey, I'm okay," Tony said, suddenly wide awake in the face of Steve's anguise. "I'm golden, I promise. I have you watching over me, how could I be anything but perfectly fine?"

"I'll always watch over you," Steve promised.

"I know."

Steve pressed a kiss to his temple. "Go back to sleep, Sweetheart. I'm not going anywhere; you'll heal faster here in my arms."

"The joys of a soulmate with super-healing," Tony half joked, even as his eyes slid shut.

Steve watched him sleep for a while and sighed to himself. He felt a little better now that he'd spoken to Tony, but it wouldn't be perfect until his genius was back to normal. Thankfully, due to their bond and the serum, it wouldn't take too long for him to heal.

Lying back down, Steve closed his eyes. Even with his Tony injured, this was still as close to paradise as Steve had ever known.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 15. Pistol

Attic - 2. "I may have punched him. It's a blur, Sir."

Arcade - Mercy - Golden / "I'll always watch over you." / Kind

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Wedding - 1. Outfits: Romance

East Funfair - Bingo - Trope Board - Soulmates

South Funfair - Test Your Strength - God Level - Soulmate!au

365\. 215. Paradise


	87. TonySteve 30

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 311

* * *

 **Play To Win**

* * *

"Hey, Tony, I brought you a sandwich."

"Aww, you shouldn't have," Tony said, turning away from his projections to look at Steve. "But also, gimme please, because I'm starving."

Steve snorted and handed over the sandwich, rolling his eyes when Tony took a large bite of it straight away. He really didn't eat enough.

"What are you doing down here?"

"Working on SI things," Tony replied, after he finished eating the mouthful of food. "Pepper is a slave driver."

"Well, Clint was talking about a Mario Kart competition later, if you've got a couple of hours free."

Tony grinned. The video game competitions in the tower often got out of hand, but they were always fun. Especially since he spent most of the time getting his flirt on with Steve to distract him. He liked the blushing too.

At the sight of Tony's smile, Steve seemed to light up, and Tony thought he could see actual joy in his eyes. It was humbling to know he could make the other man so happy with something so simple.

"I'll be there, "he said, nodding. "Just tell J.A.R.V.I.S to let me know when you're all ready to start."

"I'll be sure to let the other's know that you're coming."

"Please, Steve. I need no introduction for these things, they know I'll be there. When do I miss game night?"

"Um. Last week. You were in—"

"Japan. Okay, when do I miss it when I'm actually, you know, on the continent."

Steve snorted. "Fair enough. I'll see you later then? Better bring your A game."

Tony turned back to his projections but then looked over his shoulder at Steve and winked. "You know me, Steve. I always play to win."

…

Tony did play. And he did win. And Steve did blush. A lot.

It was a good night.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 12. Friendship.

Attic - 20. "I need no introduction."

Arcade - - "Aww, you shouldn't have." / Winking / Play To Win (title).

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Wedding - 2. Cake - Eating

East Funfair - Pie Eating - Chiffon - Joy

South Funfair - Pygmy Puff - Sophia - No more than 2 characters

365\. 187. Flirt


	88. Team Fic 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 541

* * *

 **Dysfunctional**

* * *

"You're late for tea," Nat said, pointing her fork at him menacingly.

Tony blinked. "I don't drink tea."

She rolled her eyes. "Not the point, Tony."

She was sitting at the kitchen table, Bruce, Clint, Sam, Steve and Bucky all with her. Only he and Thor were missing, and since Thor was currently in Asgard, really, Tony was the only one missing.

"Did you send a memo about this? I don't remember being told I had to be here?"

"We asked J.A.R.V.I.S to tell you about it," Clint said, shrugging.

"Oh. Well, I was in a meeting, so he probably didn't think it was urgent enough to bring me out for. Why are you all sitting around drinking tea anyway? Is this going to be a thing now? Tea parties?"

Tony saw the way Bucky grimaced slightly at the thought and he snorted, turning to the coffee maker. He poured himself one and then a second which he put in front of Bucky.

"You're like me. I'm never satisfied. Leaf water is gross."

Bucky grinned appreciatively.

"How come they get coffee?" Clint demanded, pointing at Tony and Bucky. "You said that we'd all be drinking the tea!"

Natasha narrowed her eyes, but it didn't stop Clint from muttering about the unfairness of it all.

"Clint, come here," Natasha said.

Tony watched with amusement and bafflement at Clint's lack of self preservation as he got up and rounded the table to stand beside Nat.

"Now, turn around, bend over, and I'll show you where my shoe fits," she said flatly. "Your complaining is irritating and this was _supposed_ to be peaceful."

"Peaceful? With this bunch of hooligans? Are you insane?" Tony asked.

"I did tell you that it would be better to just let people come if they were actually interested," Bruce said quietly.

The ferocious look in Natasha's eyes didn't seem to phase him in the least, and Tony had to wonder if Bruce had adding something particularly _relaxing_ to his own mug.

Standing up, Natasha lifted her magenta teacup and placed it on the draining board ready to be washed.

"I'm going to the gym," she announced. "I'm going to kill punching bags instead of you lot. Be grateful."

Tony chuckled. "You're so bloodthirsty, Nat. Has it really been that long since we had a mission?"

"Too long," she grumbled as she left.

Clint watched her go. "I sometimes forget why I love her so much but then she reminds me how vicious and callous she can be and I remember. I'm gonna go spar with her."

He hopped up and, leaving his cup on the table, followed her out of the room.

"He's insane," Sam commented, watching after him.

Bucky nodded. "I'm gonna stay out of the gym for the next few hours. Wanna watch a movie instead?"

Steve and Sam both agreed and, with grins, the three of them moved off to the living room.

Tony looked at Bruce. "Wanna science for a bit?"

Bruce smiled and nodded.

Tony didn't know what he'd done to deserve this band of insane but loyal, caring misfits, but he hoped he could continue doing it.

They were dysfunctional, but they worked. He hoped they never changed.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 25. "Turn around, bend over, and I'll show you where my shoe fits."

Attic - 11. "You're like me. I'm never satisfied."

Mythology - 9. Callous

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Mad Tea Party Theme - 2. "You're late for tea."

East Funfair - Petting Zoo - Crup - Fork / Loyal / Ferocious

South Funfair - Lazy River - Magenta

365\. 241. Bloodthirsty


	89. TonySteve 31

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 684

* * *

 **Guaranteed Loss (Or Not?)**

* * *

Steve glowered at Tony through the mirror as he straightened his tie. "I still don't understand how you got out of this."

"My glowing personality," Tony replied, raising his coffee cup in salute. "They know better than to expect me to accept their invitations, so they don't bother anymore."

Steve rolled his eyes. He looked down at the still crooked blue tie and sighed. "Help me with this?"

Tony nodded and got up, walking over to where Steve was standing, and expertly straightened and smoothed the tie out.

It was decorative, since Pepper had told Steve that he didn't have to be so formal, but he hated wearing them and from the amusement on Tony's face, Steve thought that probably showed.

"There. You look proper dapper now, Steve. You'll knock them off their feet." Tony patted his chest twice. "Have fun, Handsome."

Tony swaggered out of the room and Steve sighed to himself. It was going to be a long afternoon.

…

"Where's Steve?" Nat asked, when Tony arrived in the living room later that day.

Tony grinned. "He got invited to be a guest at the Ladies That Lunch afternoon tea, and like an idiot, he accepted before talking to one of us."

Natasha shook her head. "That poor man, they're going to eat him alive."

"They are. I'd rather face Doom without my suit that deal with that load of Jackals."

"Uh huh. So, asked him out yet?"

Tony spluttered. "Asked who out yet?"

"Steve, obviously. Christ, Tony, you didn't think you were being subtle did you? You're as transparent as glass whenever you're around him!"

"I hate you."

"No you don't. Why haven't you asked him on a date?"

"There's no win in it for me, Nat," Tony said quietly. "Either he says no, which lets face it is most likely, and it's awkward between us because he knows I want him, or he says yes, in which case I get vilified by the press for defiling a national icon. Lose-lose."

"Or, he says yes, you two are sappy and mind numbingly adorable together, and the press can fuck off?" Nat suggested.

Before Tony could reply, the elevator dinged, and the two of them looked up to see Steve entering with his shoulders slumped and a tired look in his eyes.

…

"Why do you have glitter all over you?" Nat asked, frowning.

Steve visibly shuddered and slumped onto the sofa beside Tony.

"Don't come near me with your art herpes," Tony said indignantly, shuffling along the sofa.

"...Art herpes?"

"Glitter is definitely art herpes," Tony said, as though it were fact. "Also, why are you covered in it?"

"I don't even know," Steve admitted. "I'm trying my best to wipe the entire afternoon from memory."

Tony snorted.

"They fed me avocado on toast triangles that were tiny, Tony," Steve muttered. "Like… half bite sized. Do you know how many of them I would have needed to eat to feel like I'd even eaten something?"

Tony grimaced in something close to sympathy. "Go shower and change into something that isn't covered in glitter and I'll have J order takeaway. And chocolate fudge cake. I feel like chocolate is a thing we need. Nat?"

"I concur."

"Right, good. Pizza and chocolate fudge?"

"Perfect," Steve admitted, forcing himself back to his feet. He felt weak, even if he knew it wasn't physically possible.

…

The evening turned into an impromptu movie night, and Clint, Bruce and Thor joined them. Thankfully, being the all knowing AI that he was, J.A.R.V.I.S had ordered extra food given the likelihood of the current situation.

Tony leant into Steve's side happily. The man was like a space heater, it was brilliant. His eyes were falling closed when Steve shifted, wrapping his arms around Tony and moving them both until they were lying down.

"Okay?" Steve asked, looking at Tony through sleepy eyes.

"Okay," Tony agreed. As he slipped off to sleep, he couldn't help but wonder if what Natasha said was worth further consideration.

Maybe it wasn't quite a guaranteed loss after all.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 42. Lose-lose

Attic - 33. "That poor man, they're going to eat him alive."

Pop Figure - Foggy Nelson - 3. Dapper / 4. Avocado

Mythology - 22. Mirror

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Mad Tea Party - 1. Alice Costume - Blue

East Funfair - Petting Zoo - Fairy - Decorative / Transparent / Weak

South Funfair - Guess The Name - Remus - Chocolate

365\. 184. Glitter


	90. TonySteve 32

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 416

* * *

 **He Fell From The Sky**

* * *

 _Steve watched with horror as the villain of the week turned his weapon to the sky and sent off a blast, directly at Iron Man._

 _It was like time had slowed down and Tony fell from the sky._

…

"I was fine, Steve. He got a lucky shot and—"

"I swear, your pride will be the death of us all," Steve snapped, shaking his head. "It's not about whether you were fine, Tony! You're allowed to listen to us sometimes, okay? Nat shouted out the warning and you took the time to blast the robot away from Clint instead of getting out of the way and you _could have died!"_

His voice broke on the last few words and Steve ran a hand over his face. He was so angry and so worried and so scared and Tony's attitude really wasn't helping him deal.

"I'm sorry."

Steve blinked and moved his hand, looking at Tony. "What?"

"I'm sorry. You're right, it was a stupid move and I'm sorry I worried you."

"I just… I lost so much once already, Tony. I can't… I haven't got the strength to lose everything again. I haven't."

"Come here," Tony muttered, tugging at Steve's hand. He shifted over in his hospital bed, only wincing a little bit, to make room for Steve. On his part, Steve didn't take much convincing to clamber into the bed and carefully wrap himself around Tony.

"You know I'll do anything for you, right?" Steve asked, pressing his face into Tony's hair. "All I ask is that you keep yourself alive and in my life, Tony."

"I know. I'll do better, I promise," Tony murmured, and to Steve's delight, he pressed his face against Steve's chest. "It's hard sometimes, remembering that I have people that actually care now."

"You always have," Steve chided gently. "Pepper, Rhodey and Happy all adore you, you dolt."

"I… it's just… it's you, and I can't… I don't want to hurt you, Steve, and I really like you and—"

"Just take better care of yourself in battle. I'll take care of you the rest of the time, so I'm not so worried about that. Just… don't go somewhere I can't follow you, okay? I need you here."

Steve tightened his arms slightly to emphasise his words.

"I can do that," Tony agreed. "I will do that."

"Hmm. Good. Go back to sleep, honey. Hopefully the doctor will let me take you home later on."

"You'll stay?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 45. Raising a wand or weapon to the sky

Attic - 29. "I swear your pride will be the death of us all."

Mythology - 20. Angry

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Pop Diva - 4. Concert Stage Background - Adore

East Funfair - Bingo - Trope: Sharing a bed

South Funfair - Test Your Strength - Weakling - "I'll do anything for you."

365\. 227. Delight


	91. TonyBucky 12

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 1274

* * *

 **Kotenok**

* * *

He knew he shouldn't but he was curious dammit. Ignoring Cap's orders to wait for back up, Tony slipped into the room with the blue glowing orb. He stepped as close as he dared, and ordered J.A.R.V.I.S to run scans on the orb.

The longer he looked at it, the more he wanted to _touch_ it. It was strange. Logically, he knew that he really shouldn't. That was just danger waiting to happen, but the compulsion was growing stronger with every passing second.

"Sir, I don't recommend you—"

Tony ignored the AI, and detracted the gauntlet from his hand, reaching out to touch the orb.

There was a flash of light, and Tony barely had time to moan "oh, fuck."

…

Steve burst into the room on J.A.R.V.I.S's guidance, frowning when he realised the Iron Man suit stood sentinel in the middle of the room, unmoving.

"Tony?"

There was a strange sound coming from the right leg of the suit, and J.A.R.V.I.S. opened the suit slowly.

Steve peered inside, fear building when he realised that Tony was gone and oh my god what the hell?

"Tony?"

The tiny black kitten meowed up at him pitifully.

"Oh, Tony, what did you do?"

…

Being a cat wasn't nearly as fun as it sounded. Tony shivered in Steve's warm hands as he carried Tony from the bunker they'd been investigating. J.A.R.V.I.S took control of the suit to follow him out.

He felt so small and helpless.

"Where'd you get the kitten?" Clint asked, reaching out to stroke Tony's head.

Tony _did_ take pleasure in clawing viciously at Clint's fingers, and Steve snorted, petting Tony until he settled back down. Tony tried to claw at Cap too, but the man was warm and seemed to know exactly the right places to tickle Tony's fur.

"Dammit," Clint muttered, sucking at his now bleeding finger.

"It's Tony," Steve said, smirking at the horrified look on Clint's face. "Guess he's not a fan of touching without asking, huh?"

"Why is Tony a kitten?" Nat asked, stepping closer. She looked at the cat and stretched her hand out carefully for Tony to sniff, which he did, before butting his head against her hand.

"Oh, I see how it is. Scratch me to ribbons but _Nat_ can stroke you all she wants. I'll remember this, Tony," Clint said, mock glaring at Tony.

Tony meowed at him smugly. So long as he could still irritate Clint, maybe it wasn't all bad.

…

"It will wear off by itself. If I try and turn him back prematurely, it would likely do more harm than good."

"How long will that take?" Bruce asked, looking between Doctor Strange and Tony, who was perched on the lab table between them.

"Probably about a week," Strange said. "Certainly no more than ten days."

Tony huffed. _Ten days?_ He had things he needed to be doing, and he didn't have opposable thumbs. What the hell was he going to do?

Carefully hopping down off the table, he stalked from the room with his tail in the air, J.A.R.V.I.S opening the door for him.

He hated this. And he was also cursing himself for thinking that wood flooring was a good idea, because wood flooring was _slippery_ dammit. His claws seemed to skitter across the randomly, making him lose his footing.

Clint was still complaining that his ribs were sore from laughing.

And he couldn't speak! How the hell was he supposed to communicate that he didn't actually want tuna? It was slimy and ugly and he _didn't like it,_ but they kept trying to feed it to him.

Sprawling out on the living room floor in a patch of sunlight streaming in through the window, Tony rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes.

This sucked.

…

Thunder seemed louder to Tony's ears and he wasn't happy. The lightning seemed more threatening too, as it lit up the room. He cowered against the base of the sofa, wishing more than anything that he could just turn back into a human _now._

He'd never loved thunderstorms, but he wasn't scared of them either.

"Tony? Aww, sweetheart, c'mere."

Tony whimpered pitifully as he was picked up and held against a broad chest. Familiar metal fingers stroked carefully over his back.

"You're okay, Doll, I won't let the thunder hurt ya."

Bucky carried him carefully from the living room and got into the elevator, going up one floor to where his own room was. Minutes later, he was curled up on his bed with the tv on, with Tony resting on his chest.

"This better?" he asked, pausing the motion of his fingers.

Tony purred loudly. He knew he shouldn't take advantage of Bucky like this, not when he was hiding a crush the size of Mount Everest, but Bucky was warm and he smelled good and he was singing gently and Tony didn't want to move.

Besides… nobody knew about Tony's crush, right? So it was fine. It wasn't like Tony could do anything… he was a goddamn kitten.

…

Tony was chasing Clint's laser pointer and it was the cutest thing Bucky had ever seen. He was flexible and bright, though of course he couldn't actually catch it because it was a _dot._ Still, it looked like he was having fun, which was the important part.

It wasn't often that they saw Tony being so playful, and that more than anything was what Bucky enjoyed about Tony being a kitten.

The others were all convinced that the blue orb thing turned Tony into the kitten, but Bucky thought it was probably more that it turned Tony into the animal equivalent to himself; he'd reminded Bucky of a cat long before he'd been turned into one.

And during the last six days, he thought that maybe Tony had become a little bit attached to him. He joined Bucky in his room every night since the thunderstorm, even when it was a clear evening outside, and he often spent hours in his lap, letting Bucky stroke him as the team watched movies on their downtime.

Smiling to himself, he caught up Tony in one hand as the little terror ran past him, once more following the laser dot.

Tony wiggled in his grip before he went floppy, looking at Bucky through mournful eyes.

"Dinner time, and then you can play some more. You want some chicken?"

Tony's ear perked up, and Bucky grinned. Tony might not be able to talk, but they could still communicate just fine.

…

Tony woke up, confused. Beneath him, Bucky was still sleeping but he seemed… smaller. Or… tony was bigger.

At Tony's movement, Bucky opened his eyes and looked up, eyes widening when he realised that Tony wasn't the tiny kitten he'd been when they'd gone to sleep.

"I'm a people again," Tony cheered, sitting up.

Bucky snorted, but before Tony could turn away, he noticed the disappointed look in Bucky's eyes.

"Are you… okay?" he asked, frowning down at him.

Bucky nodded. "I'm fine. I'm glad you're… a people again. I guess… I got used to you being around. It'll be weird, that's all."

Tony swallowed hard. "Well, I mean… maybe I can still be around? Unless you meant having a kitten around, because if that's what you meant that I can totally get you a kitten, we can go right now and we'll get you the best kitten—"

He was cut off when Bucky surged up suddenly and kissed him silent. When they parted, Tony looked at Bucky with wonder, but Bucky just smiled.

"No, Kotenok. You're the only kitten I need."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - T3. Being put in danger due to curiosity

Pop Figure - Molly Hernandez - 2. Cat / 3. Playful

Mythology - 27. Being unable to speak

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Pop Diva - 2. Microphone: Singing

East Funfair - Petting Zoo - Ghoul : Ugly / Slimy / Moan

South Funfair - Test Your Strength - Average - Thunderstorm

365\. 149. Slippery


	92. Tony&Rhodey&Pepper&Happy

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 523

* * *

 **Just For One Day**

* * *

"She looks happy," Rhodey said, sitting beside Tony at the bar. "You doing okay?"

"I would choose her happiness over mine every time," Tony replied, never taking his eyes off of Pepper. "So yeah, Platypus, I'm good."

"Still think it's a bit weird, being at Pepper's wedding when you're not the groom. I guess I always expected the two of you too—"

"There was a time when we expected that as well," Tony admitted, finally looking at Rhodey. "But Happy makes her happy in a way that I never could. Pepper couldn't be the girlfriend that sat at home while I went to fight, and that's… understandable. I couldn't have done it if it was the other way around. Happy…. He's good for her."

"Is that why you paid for all this?"

Tony's lips tilted up as he looked over the private beach the wedding had been held on.

"I want Pepper to be happy always. If throwing money and my name around can make that happen," he shrugged. "Then that's what I'll do."

He stopped talking as Pepper and Happy made their way over. Pepper pressed a kiss to his cheek when they arrived, and Happy grinned wide and honest.

"I love that despite everything that's happened, the four of us are still here," she said reflectively. "Still together, still friends."

Tony squeezed her hand. "We'll always be friends, Pep. Now, Hap, I'm stealing your wife for a dance."

"Make sure you bring her back in one piece. I love you, Boss, don't make me beat you."

Tony snorted but saluted and led Pepper to the dancefloor, leaving Happy and Rhodey to prop up the bar.

"He's doing okay, right?" Happy asked quietly, turning to Rhodey.

Rhodey nodded. "I think so. He loves her, always will, but he wants her to be happy and you make her smile."

"He'd do anything for her, wouldn't he?"

"Take anything and multiply it by a hundred," Rhodey agreed. "She's stuck by him through so much, I guess we all have. He'd do anything for any of us."

"I know. I, uh… I guess it took me a while to realise that he saw me as more than an employee. I don't understand what I did to earn his trust, but I'll do my best to never lose it."

"You took him for who he was rather than what you could get from him."

They watched Tony pull the peach coloured flower from his lapel and tuck it behind Pepper's ear before they turned back towards the bar.

"Your wife," Tony offered, delivering Pepper into Happy's waiting arms. "Still in one beautiful piece, so no beatings necessary."

Happy and Rhodey chuckled, and Tony grinned at them.

Tomorrow, he'd be heading back to New York, back to the superhero team he somehow was the co-lead of, and Pepper and Happy would be off on their honeymoon, and Rhodey would be heading back to the airbase.

For today though… today he could spend time with the three people who'd known him and loved him even before he'd become a superhero. Today he could spend time with his family.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - T2. A group of four or more friends

Showtime - 11. Reception

Attic - 37. "I will choose her happiness over mine every time."

Mythology - 23. Flower

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Wedding Theme - 4. Chapel Background : Wedding

East Funfair - Pie Eating - Chocolate SIlk - Beach

South Funfair - Pygmy Puff - Virgil - Peach

365\. 147. Multiply


	93. Tony&Rhodey 2

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 609

* * *

 **Sleep Easy**

* * *

Tony was tinkering. It was what he did, always, and James took a moment to admire him from the doorway.

"Sir, Master Rhodes is here," J.A.R.V.I.S said, ruining James' moment.

"Oh, are you here to shout at me too?" Tony asked without looking up. "Just leave a list."

"Okay, here is an itemised list of thirty years of disagreements," Rhodey said, rolling his eyes as he walked deeper into the workshop. "Who's shouting at you, Tones?"

Tony huffed a laugh and shook his head. "Pepper, Cap, even Nat, probably Fury if I answered his calls… I don't know, Platypus. Just… everyone."

"Did you do something in particular that's made people shout at you?"

Tony shrugged and James could see the tiredness in his shoulders and he shook his head. Tony still hadn't looked at him. Reaching out, he pressed his palms into the tired shoulders and massaged, firm but gentle.

"I'm not here to shout at you. I am here, to liberate you from this workshop. We're gonna eat, watch movies, and snuggle, because I've missed you and I'm tired of sharing you."

Tony laughed and then winced when he poked his finger with the needle he'd been holding. Pressing his finger in his mouth to ward off the sting (apparently it worked, James had never understood it), he spun on his seat to face James.

"I missed you too, Honeybear."

…

Getting Tony settled on the sofa didn't take as much work as James had expected, and he was practically giddy with his success. Usually it took much more fighting.

"So, you wanna tell me what's going on?" he asked, stroking his hands through Tony's hair where he was laying on James' lap.

Tony shrugged, drawing the sapphire coloured blanket further up on his shoulders. "I guess, people just think I should be something I can't be."

"Who you are is pretty fucking special already," James replied firmly. "You can send anyone who says differently to me."

Tony snorted but pressed closer. "At least I know you won't abandon me, Sour Patch."

James closed his eyes for a moment, because he had, once, hadn't he? Sure he thought he was doing the right thing but that didn't make it any better. Not really. Tony… even when he was being a shit, there was usually a good reason for it.

He had James' eternal loyalty for that.

"Too many people see Tony Stark instead of just Tony," he mused, cupping Tony's cheek. "You need me to speak to them?"

Tony shook his head. "It wouldn't change anything. They haven't even made me one of the team, you know? I fight beside them, I let them live here for nothing, I build them shiny new toys and I just… I don't know what else I'm supposed to do, Rhodey. I don't know what else I can give them. And Pep… she hates me being Iron Man, and I get that it's because she worries about me, I really do but… yelling at me changes nothing and just makes me feel shitty."

James had already been annoyed, but now he was a ball of rage ready to explode.

 _How dare they?_

He returned to stroking Tony's hair. "Get some sleep, Tones. I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."

Tony nodded, and mumbled, "Love you, Platypus."

"Sleep easy, sweetheart. Dream of robots and pretty things."

Tired laughter was the last thing Tony did before he drifted off to sleep.

Rhodey waited until Tony was properly asleep and then slipped out from beneath him, making sure he was still comfortable.

He had some asses to kick.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - C10. Someone that likes tinkering with things.

Showtime - 43. "Here is an itemised list of thirty years of disagreements."

Mythology - 26. Admiring someone

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Wedding Theme - 3. Wedding Rings - Eternal

East Funfair - Petting Zoo - Billywig - Sapphire / Sting / Giddy

South Funfair - Guess The Name - Tom - Abandon

365\. 238. Dream


	94. TonySteve 33

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 776

* * *

 **Tale As Old As Time**

* * *

"Tell me the story, Gramps," Anthony Jr begged, making grabby hands at his namesake.

Tony rolled his eyes but picked the little scamp up, settling him on his knee. Adjusting his glasses, he looked over at Steve, who was already smiling softly at him, baby Rosie sleeping against his chest.

"You don't really want this story," Tony said to Anthony. "You could _recite_ this story already."

"Please, Gramps. Please, please, please."

Tony sighed, but grabbed Anthony's favourite blanket from the back of the sofa and wrapped it around him. It was old, one that Nat had knitted years ago, but it was yellow and Anthony was currently obsessed with all things yellow so he'd managed to hunt it out.

"Okay, okay. So, Gramps made his suit, and Grandpa Steve was found in the ice, just in time for the aliens and Loki, the god of Mischief, to attack the earth. When they first met, Gramps and Grandpa didn't get on, at all."

"Why not?" Anthony asked, as though he hadn't heard this story before.

"Somebody has to stand up to his mouth," Steve said, across the room. "And I thought it should be me."

Mock affronted, Tony scowled. "Are you telling this story, or am I?"

"Someone has to keep you honest, too."

"Pfft. Anyway, Gramps was being awesome—"

"Vain," Steve interrupted, though this time Tony ignored him.

"—and Grandpa was being boring, and we didn't really… click. But when the fighting started, we were _awesome_ together."

"You're awesome all the time, Gramps," Anthony said, snuggling in.

Tony felt his heart melt a little.

"We beat Loki and his army, and afterwards, us and the team, Uncle Clint and Aunt Nat, and Uncle Bruce and Uncle Thor, we all went out for Shawarma."

Anthony wrinkled his nose and Steve chuckled, grinning at Tony when he rolled his eyes.

"It's gross, Gramps."

"Uh huh. So you've told me."

"So after that, we all went our own ways for a little while, and then, everyone decided they were going to annoy your Gramps at the Tower."

"You renamed it Avengers Tower. You wanted us there."

"Yeah, yeah. And, well, me and your Grandpa Steve, we still annoyed the sh-izzle out of each other," Tony said, stumbling over the curse word while Steve bit his cheek to keep from laughing. "He annoyed me a lot those first few months."

"And your Gramps drove me insane on a daily basis."

"I tend to have that effect on people," Tony admitted. "And that's how the team came together again. Your Grandpa Steve found your Uncle Buck, and a little later, your dad became part of the team too."

"Spiderman!"

"Exactly! Spiderman. After that, your Grandpa and I, we started getting along better, and then, because he's a sap, he filled a room with roses and candles and he made me dinner. We've been sap's in love ever since."

Steve smiled at him over the kids heads, and Tony returned it.

"And then, we saved the world."

"When will you tell me that story, Gramps?"

"Maybe in a few years, Underoos. Now come on, I think it's time for you to go to bed."

…

Tony startled when Steve's hands landed on his shoulders.

"I come in peace," Steve murmured, pressing kisses to Tony's neck. "Kids are both flat out."

"Hmm. Rosie will be awake in a few hours. I don't know who put that kid on such a random feeding schedule but—"

"Pretty sure that's not how that works, Sweetheart."

Tony snorted and turned around into Steve's embrace. "Think Underoos is ever going to get tired of that story?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if he tells it to his own children," Steve replied.

Tony shuddered. "Dammit, Steve, I already feel old. Don't make it worse."

Steve laughed. "Come on, Old Timer. Let's go get some food before your prediction comes true and Rosie wakes up again."

"No rabbit food."

Lettuce is good for you."

"It's damp. And brown. I saw it earlier."

"And you didn't throw it out because…?"

"I've got you to be the responsible one?" Tony offered, smiling. "You knew I wasn't a real adult when you married me, you can't get picky now."

Steve rolled his eyes. "It's a good job I love you, Tony Stark."

Tony nodded. "Probably. Should we skip the food and see how flexible we both still are? I think we're still young enough for semi athletic sex, no?"

Steve closed his eyes and for a moment, Tony thought he was going to refuse but then he looked down at Tony and the lust there was enough to take Tony's breath away.

"Let's go."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Disney - S2. Something talked about years after the fact.

Showtime - 31. "Somebody has to stand up to his mouth."

Pop Figures - Luna Lovegood - 2. Glasses / 3. "You're awesome." / 4. Yellow

Mythology - 18. Vain

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Alien Theme - 4. Alien Planet Background - "I come in peace."

East Funfair - Petting Zoo - Flobberworm - Damp / Brown / Lettuce

South Funfair - Pygmy Puff - Waldo - "I tend to have that effect on people."

365\. 153. Flexible


	95. TonyBucky 13

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 782

* * *

 **A Good Day**

* * *

"But it's summer!" Peter complained, pouting. "Come on, Tony! You can take a few hours out… please?"

Tony sighed, dropping the crimson piece of armour he'd been working on onto the workshop table.

"What is it that you want to go to?" he asked, raising his eyebrow at Peter.

Peter promptly handed over a leaflet for a summer fair in a small town just outside of New York. "MJ said she's going," he added, a blush colouring his cheeks.

Tony pursed his lips slightly to stop himself from laughing. Peter was _adorable_ with his crush on MJ—mostly because Tony was 99 percent sure that the girl liked him just as much.

"Okay, okay, we'll go. Come on," Tony said, hustling Peter towards the elevator.

They stopped off on the communal floor for Tony to fill his travel cup with coffee for the drive, and he was surprised to find Bucky sitting on the sofa, watching some random daytime tv movie that looked torturous to Tony.

"Hey Freezer-burn," he greeted as he passed through.

He heard a snort, and grinned. When he returned to the living space, it was to find Peter talking about the summer fair, his lips moving a mile a minute as he babbled. Bucky was watching him with bemused affection, and Tony leant against the doorway.

"Come on, Frosty, you're coming with us. I'm relatively sure you haven't seen daylight this week, and since I'm almost positive you're not actually a vampire, you can stand for a few hours in the sun."

He pushed himself off the door frame.

Bucky pointed at the window. "I see daylight every day."

"Ha ha, come on, shift your ass," Tony said, waving his hand as he walked towards the elevator.

Bucky opened his mouth to protest, but Tony shook his head, having none of it. He hustled Bucky and Peter towards the elevator.

"I'll even let you pick which car we take," he promised Bucky, as the elevator doors closed.

…

The town square was filled with tents and stalls and across the way on a field was the saddest looking rides Tony had ever seen. They walked around slowly, inspecting the trinkets and food on sale, playing the tombola's and games, and within an hour or so, Tony was pleased to see that Bucky had relaxed.

It wasn't overly crowded, despite there being quite a lot of people milling around.

Tony watched the way that Peter constantly surveyed the crowds, clearly looking for MJ.

"Your girl is over there," Bucky said, turning Peter's head with gentle fingers towards the south side of the square.

Peter _squeaked,_ and this time Tony was unable to contain his chuckles.

"Go on, Casanova," he murmured, nudging Peter in her direction. "I'll call you when we're leaving, okay?"

Peter nodded distractedly and almost ran towards MJ, waving awkwardly.

"He's adorable," Bucky said, shaking his head.

Tony nodded. "He really is. I'm debating how much I'm going to regret eating corn dogs from that stand over there. Thoughts?"

Bucky looked and wrinkled his nose, before he nodded to a stand a few down from that one which was selling freshly baked pastries. "They look better."

Tony shrugged. "Lead the way, Snowflake."

Wanting to give Peter time with his friend, Tony and Bucky ate slowly, stretched out on the grass, and then took a second, slower stroll around the stalls. It was nice to be out without people paying too much attention to them.

Tony didn't experience it often, but he always enjoyed it.

"Is it cheating for me to have you play the shooting game?" he asked, nodding to the stand at the far side of the square. "I want that big teddy, Snowflake. He needs to come home with me."

Bucky snorted, but tilted his head slightly. "Will it even fit in the car?"

"Sure it will. I'll put it in the back with Pete."

Bucky shrugged. "Alright, doll. Let's go and get you your teddy bear."

…

"Is this his new home?"

Tony turned to see Bucky stepping onto the balcony, his head tilted towards the bear he'd won for Tony earlier that day.

Tony mock glared at him. "Absolutely not! I just thought he'd like to see the stars is all."

Chuckling, Bucky stepped closer, until their arms were brushing against each other.

"Thank you for today. It… I… It was nice to just be outside without having to fight or… it was just nice."

Tony nodded. "Anytime, Bucky."

They looked up at the sky together, and after a few moments, Bucky started pointing out the constellations, smiling when Tony argued over a few of them with him.

It had been a good day.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 6. Town Square.

North Funfair - Rat Race - "But it's summer!"

East Funfair - Pie Eating - Cranberry and Ginger Pear - Stargazing

South Funfair - Test Your Strength - Weakling Level - Crimson

365\. 249. Daylight


	96. Tony-Centric 3

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 880

 **AN** \- I may turn this into a full story at some point because it's fun.

* * *

 **The Hand That Fate Deals**

* * *

Tony looked out of the window of his bedroom over the sprawling grounds of the palace. The Knights were training on the grass and he allowed himself a moment to admire Sir Rogers stretching.

Although he knew it would never be allowed, certainly not while his father was still around, he did enjoy indulging himself occasionally.

As Crown Prince, Tony was expected to meet and marry a woman of his parent's choice, although he'd so far managed to convince his mother that he wasn't yet ready for marriage. He knew it probably wouldn't last much longer of course, but he would continue saying it for as long as he could get away with.

"My Prince," Jarvis, Tony's personal butler, greeted when he stepped into the room. "You are expected for breakfast in fifteen minutes, why are you not yet dressed?"

Tony groaned. "Do I have too?"

"You know very well that your father will not tolerate tardiness, Sir."

"I know, I know, but still, I'd much rather remain here. I'm not even hungry."

Of course, his stomach chose that very moment to grumble and Jarvis raised his eyebrows at him, his amusement clear on his face.

"Come along, Prince Anthony. The sooner you attend breakfast, the sooner you may be able to escape into your work space. I believe your father has a full day planned with Master Stane, so he will not be around to take up your time."

Mood quickly turned around, Tony grinned. "You bring me the best news, J."

…

"My Prince," Jarvis greeted somberly, his head bowed.

Tony frowned. "What is it, J?"

"I must offer my deepest apologies that I must be the one to deliver the news, Sir, but there's been an accident. The carriage your parent's were travelling back to the castle in was ambushed. I am so very sorry, Anthony. Neither of them survived the attack."

…

"I'm seventeen and I never _wanted_ to be king, J. How the hell am I going to do this?" Tony slumped in the chair, his head in his hands.

"I have every faith that you will be a great King, Sire," Jarvis replied softly, laying Tony's clothes for the day out carefully. "Master Stane is requesting a meeting immediately."

Tony rolled his eyes. Obadiah was his father's closest advisor, and clearly he was hoping that he'd be the same for Tony, but there was something about the man that Tony didn't trust. While he knew he couldn't just send the man away from the palace, he certainly wouldn't be including him the way his father had.

"Tell him I'm busy, please J. I don't have the patience to deal with him today. I have a million things to deal with already."

"Of course, Sire."

…

"Pep! Pep, Pep, Pep, Pep!"

His mother's maid in waiting raised a single eyebrow at him and waited for him to continue. She was smirking, as she often was whenever Tony sought her out.

"Pepper, I need a person."

She chuckled. "A person for what, Anthony?"

"A person for me. A person to organise me properly."

"I'm sure your father had such people on staff, did he not?"

Tony wrinkled his nose. "They're all _old,_ Pep. They look down at me and I just don't want to look at them. Please be my person?"

"Prince Anthony, I am only a maid—"

"You've never been 'only' anything in all of your life, Pepper," Tony admonished. "I need people I can trust around me and the people my father had…. I don't trust a single one of them."

Pepper reached out and touched his cheek. "If you are positive it is a wise choice, then I would be delighted to be your person, Anthony."

…

"I was under the impression that you were supposed to be on that trip with your parents," Obadiah said, when Tony finally met with him. "It is incredibly lucky that you weren't, is it not?"

There was something about his tone that made Tony think Stane didn't believe his words.

"I irritated my father the morning of the trip," he said quietly. "He chose to leave me behind."

"And now you are to be King! How fortunate for you!"

Tony frowned. "I am not sure that I would consider the _murder of my parents_ fortunate, Obadiah. If that's all, I'm currently rather busy, I'm sure you understand?"

"Anthony," Obadiah chided. "If you would confide in your father's advisors, we would be able to help you more."

"I'm in the process of building my _own_ cabinet, as it happens," Tony replied flatly. "I am sure they will help me a lot as soon as everything has settled."

"Anthony—"

"I really do have to go, Obadiah. I'm sure you know your own way out."

…

"You cannot put us in neon blue uniforms, Anthony," Pepper said, grinning.

"But Pep—"

"No. How about you allow me to arrange the new uniforms?"

Tony sighed, but rolled his eyes and conceded. "Fine. Fun ruiner."

She shook her head at him and made a note.

Tony looked at his people and he smiled. In just a few days, he would be crowned as King. He didn't want it—had never really wanted it—but with the people around him, he knew he could do it.

* * *

 ** **Written for:****

Showtime - 7. Royalty!au

North Funfair - Jar Of Buttons - Royalty!au

East Funfair - Pie Eating - Sweet Potato - Royalty!au

South Funfair - Pygmy Puff - Kimberly - Neon Blue

365\. 218. Crown


	97. TonyPepper 5

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 447

* * *

 **The Simple Life**

* * *

"Hey, Sweetheart," Tony said, stepping into the house and tossing his keys onto the side table. "I picked up that dessert you like."

Pepper rested her head back on the sofa so she could look at him upside down. "I could smell the cinnamon as soon as you walked into the house."

Tony grinned and leant down to press a soft kiss to her lips. "How is my munchkin doing?" he asked, rubbing his hand along her swollen stomach.

Pepper let her hand rest on top of the bump and rolled her eyes. "She's definitely your daughter. She doesn't ever stop moving."

Laughing, Tony rounded the sofa and sat down, raising his arm for Pepper to lean against him. It had been a trying year since the snap, but now, in this moment, he could honestly say that he was happy.

Never before had he thought that the simple life would actually suit him.

"Are you happy, Pep?" he asked, his voice low, and muffled against her hair.

She turned her head to look at him, and her eyes were soft. "I'm so happy, Tony."

…

"Why do you have malteasers?"

Tony didn't reply, he simply balanced one on her stomach and watched. Pepper, catching on, rolled her eyes but smiled at him affectionately.

A few moments later, the baby shifted, and the malteser bounced a little, rolling off her stomach.

Tony replaced it with another.

"Are you actually going to do that with the whole bag?"

The smile on Tony's face told Pepper that this was going to take a while, but she didn't mind. She could indulge him in this.

…

"She's so beautiful," Pepper mused, standing over the bassinet.

Tony nodded. "Our little Morgan. She's gorgeous, Pep. We did well."

Pepper turned in his arms and pressed her head against his shoulder.

"I got you something," Tony added, pulling a box from his pocket. She looked slightly concerned—Tony's presents were hit or miss, though he'd been better lately—but took the box.

Opening it up, she found a delicate gold chain holding an ornate gold locket.

"Open it," Tony prompted quietly.

She did as he bid, smiling widely when, inside, she found a photo of Morgan in one side, and one of Tony and Pepper in the other.

"I love you, Pep. You've made me happier than I even knew was possible for a single man. I'd do anything for you."

Holding the necklace out for Tony, she requested, "Put it on for me."

Carefully, Tony undid the clasp and put it around her neck, fastening it again. She put her hand over it where it rested on her chest.

"I love you, too, Tony."

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 17. A pregnancy

North Funfair - Splash a Mod - Liza - Fluff

East Funfair - Bingo - Item Board - Locket

South Funfair - Lazy River - "I picked up that dessert you like."

365\. 207. Cinnamon


	98. Tony&T'Challa

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 584

* * *

 **Amateur**

* * *

"I love my sister more than anything in this life," T'Challa said quietly, "But I am not convinced that giving her a willing accomplice for her shenanigans was the wisest of ideas."

Tony snorted, watching Shuri and Peter splashing around in their swimsuits in the castle pool. The turquoise water looked inviting even to him, and he tended to stay as far from water as he could.

"Peter practically begged me to fetch him with me when I mentioned I would be spending a few days in Wakanda, and given the way the two of them bonded in New York, I couldn't find it in myself to tell him no."

"As if you can tell him no at all," T'Challa replied, a fond smile on his face as he glanced at Tony over his sunglasses.

Tony rolled his eyes but he conceded the point; he didn't often tell Peter no.

Especially since they'd reversed the snap. He still had nightmares about watching him turn to dust. He suspected he always would.

"Did you tell the others why you were coming?" T'Challa asked, turning his attention from the teens.

Tony shook his head. "No. I'm sure they believe we have business together. I didn't feel like explaining that we were simply coming for a social visit. Heaven forbid, they would have insisted they join us."

Laughing, T'Challa asked, "I thought you were getting on better with your teammates these days?"

"I am," Tony shrugged. "That doesn't mean that I want to spend all of my time with them. Steve is behaving like a particularly clingy labrador at the moment and it can be… suffocating."

"He wishes to make up for his actions. I believe he like-likes you."

"Did we morph into teenage girls without my notice?" Tony asked, flipping his sunglasses up to look at T'Challa incredulously. "'Like-like' indeed."

"Perhaps, if he knew you were here simply to visit, he would be jealous enough to admit his feelings for you?" T'Challa suggested.

"I… am not entirely sure that I want him too," Tony admitted. "I… you know how long I've had feelings for him, I just… I'm not sure I can do that now. I fear that ship has sailed."

T'Challa shook his head. "I do not believe that."

"Just because you finally got your shit together in your love life—"

Laughing, T'Challa shook his head. "Say no more my friend. Besides, I believe it's time for lunch—and for us to split those two troublemakers up before they get up to mischief."

"Bold of you to assume they haven't already gotten and implemented at least five pranks in the time we've been talking," Tony replied, though he got up from the sun lounger. "But food sounds like a good plan. Can we eat outside? It's so beautiful here."

T'Challa nodded. "Of course. I'll have us served on the patio."

Tony nodded and stretched. He and Peter only had one more day in Wakanda before they would need to return to New York and the team, but for now, Tony could relax. His troubled love life notwithstanding, he was allowed to take a break from his life occasionally.

Peter had taught him that. Peter had taught him a lot… which was why he was standing back while T'Challa approached the kids to tell them that it was lunchtime.

Sure enough, moments later, T'Challa was sopping wet, and Peter and Shuri were sharing fits of giggles as they high fived.

He shook his head at T'Challa. Amateur.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - 37. "I love my sister more than anything in this life."

North Funfair - Splash a Mod - Amber - Friendship

East Funfair - Pie Eating - Coconut Cream - Swimsuit

South Funfair - Guess The Name - Teddy - Turquoise

365\. 168. Accomplice


	99. TonySteve 34

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 1764

* * *

 **Bad Press**

* * *

Tony stepped into the tower and found Nat waiting for him. Without a single word, she slapped him soundly across the face.

He blinked. "Um. What did I do to deserve this?" he asked, raising a hand to rest it against his cheek. It was heating up, and he was sure that if he looked in the mirror, it would be red raw.

"You know exactly what you did," she snarled, before she stepped around him and walked away, never looking back once.

Entirely baffled, Tony continued on his way to the kitchen, frowning when he didn't find Steve there. Surely J.A.R.V.I.S had told the super soldier he was on his way up to the kitchen and Steve usually liked to be there when Tony got back from his business trips.

Instead, he found Clint and Bruce sitting at the table, apparently waiting on him.

"Where's Steve?"

"He doesn't want to see you," Clint sneered. "Can't really blame him."

"Would someone tell me what the hell is going on?" Tony demanded. "Nat slapped me, you're being an asshole and where the hell is Steve?"

Bruce slid a magazine towards him. Tony looked at the page it was open too and rolled his eyes. "Again? Really? You'd think they'd have better things to do with their time than make shit up."

"You're saying it's not true?" Bruce asked quietly.

Taken aback, Tony looked at Bruce. "Are you actually serious right now? Is this what's going on? You all think I went to China to what? Cheat on my husband?"

"A picture is worth a thousand words," Clint said, pointing at the double page spread, "and they've got five of them."

Tony nodded. "Yeah, they have. If you look at their past articles from, oh about four years ago, you'll see those exact same pictures, from when they were actually fucking taken. You know, before I married the love of my life. But, no, nobody is going to look deeper into it because it's me, and all I do is fuck up and fuck around, right?"

Bruce's face paled, and Clint's mouth opened slightly in shock, but Tony was too angry to care.

"Fuck the lot of you," he muttered, turning on his heel.

…

"You can't keep hiding from him," Pepper said, looking at Tony over the paperwork she was reading.

He rolled his eyes, keeping his eyes on his wedding ring, which he was twisting around his finger.

"He thought I cheated on him, Pep. I warned him, when we first got together, the press are a bunch of meddling bastards and they will try and break us up. Why wouldn't he at least ask J.A.R.V.I.S? He didn't even have to speak to me about it. He could have just…" Tony shook his head. "Guess he was expecting it."

Pepper sighed. "He fucked up," she agreed. "They all did, and if I see Natasha anytime soon, it won't be pretty. But you can't keep hiding away like _you're_ in the wrong, Tony. You didn't do anything wrong. Stop punishing yourself."

There was a long pause before Tony nodded. "You're right. Come on, let's blow this joint. I'll buy you dinner."

She smiled and put her pen down. "Lead the way, Mr Stark."

…

"J.A.R.V.I.S showed us the original article with the pictures."

It was 3am, but Tony had been expecting Steve to ambush him the moment he entered any of the communal spaces of the tower, so he didn't startle despite the darkness of the kitchen. He'd gone straight to the workshop after dinner with Pepper, but he'd run out of coffee down there and been forced to go up to the kitchen.

Turning his head, he saw Steve leaning against the doorframe, watching him. He looked _awful._ He was unshaven, his hair was a greasy mess and he looked like he hadn't slept in a week. Tony forced himself not to feel too much sympathy for him, considering if he'd just _trusted_ Tony, he wouldn't be in such a tragic state.

"Why did you believe it?" Tony asked, whispering in the darkness.

Steve shook his head. "I don't… I guess it never made sense. That you would give everything up for me. I just… I saw the pictures, saw that woman and I just—"

"So you're trying to tell me it's my fault because what? I used to sleep around and I stopped because I fell in love?"

"No!" Steve protested. "I—"

"You could have just asked J.A.R.V.I.S. That's what I don't understand, Steve. It's like… you wanted to believe it. Are you looking for a way out? Is that what this is? Because if you want a divorce, then you can man the fuck up and ask for one instead of trying to—"

"Tony, no! I don't want a divorce, are you insane? I'm sorry that I believed it, I really am. I saw the pictures, and I just… I lost my head. I'm so sorry."

Tony turned away from the coffee maker with his freshly prepared mug held in both hands. He leaned back against the counter and looked fully at Steve.

"I told you that the press would try and do this. And this won't be the last time they do it either," he said quietly. "I have to travel for SI sometimes, that's just how it is, but I can't keep doing this, Steve. I can't worry that every time I come home, Natasha is going to be waiting to slap me, or Clint's going to be ready to tell me about what a fuck up I am."

"She _slapped_ you?"

Steve looked horrified.

"They're protective of you," Tony replied with a shrug. "All of them are, and usually, it's fine because I'm protective of you too but... "

He shook his head cutting himself off. He'd never expected the force of that protectiveness to be aimed at him; especially when he hadn't even done anything wrong.

"I'm so sorry," Steve murmured, shaking his head. "I didn't… I would never ask any of them to be anything but your friend. Even if we did ever—"

Tony shrugged and then pushed himself up off the counter. "You should go and get some sleep, you look like shit. I'll see you tomorrow."

"You… you're not coming to bed?"

"I've got work to catch up on," Tony muttered.

He walked passed Steve, pretending he didn't see the aborted movement to reach out and touch him.

…

The team apologised, Clint sheepishly, Natasha with genuine shame in her eyes, Bruce with his head bowed.

It didn't help.

Tony hated to admit it, but he really was hurt that they'd assumed he could do something like that without even giving him the chance to defend himself.

The press jumped on the fact that Tony had been seen out with both Pepper and Rhodey and not Steve, and vice versa, that they'd only seen Steve outside the tower on his own.

Headlines screamed about their upcoming divorce, and every time he saw them, Tony felt sick.

"How long are you going to punish him for this?" Natasha asked, a week after Tony had gotten home.

"I don't want to talk to you about this," Tony replied flatly. "What happens in Steve and I's relationship is absolutely none of your business, so I suggest you stay out of it."

She'd accepted that with a sigh and an almost silent apology and walked away with her head bowed.

The truth was that Tony wasn't trying to punish Steve, he really wasn't. He just wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, so instead, he was spending all of his time on lockdown in the workshop.

It was what he did. Avoid any situation that he felt lost in. Usually, Steve would be able to pull him out of his funk but… since Steve was the cause of it, Tony really didn't know what to do.

…

A call to assemble ended Tony's self imposed isolation, and he suited up and joined the rest of the team in the fight. Despite the tension between them, they still fought together flawlessly, and in less that two hours, the threat was dealt with.

Usually, Tony would suggest a restaurant, but the silence on the comms was unusually awkward instead.

Returning to the tower, Tony took a shower in his 'shop and then, with a deep breath, he got into the elevator and made his way up to the communal floor. Steve was already there, freshly showered and dressed in his sweats and a loose t-shirt.

His eyes widened when he saw Tony.

"I'm not punishing you," Tony said, fiddling with his ring to belay his nerves. "I'm not, I promise. I just… don't know what I'm supposed to say or do so…. I mean, you know how I am."

Steve nodded and held his hand out for Tony. There was a momentary hesitation before Tony placed his hand in Steve's larger one and let the soldier gently tug him down into his lap. Steve wrapped his arms around Tony and pressed his face against Tony's shoulder.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry that I believed the lies when logically, I know you would never hurt me like that. I let my insecurities get the better of me, and I messed up."

Tony nodded and leant against Steve, relaxing a little. "You have to promise me that you won't do that again, Steve. Even if they print things, promise me that you'll at least ask J if you don't want to ask me. There are protocols, he can't lie to you, I wrote that into his code before we got married."

Kissing Tony's neck, Steve nodded. "I promise. I'm so sorry, Sweetheart."

"Can we just… can it just be done now? I'm so tired, Steve."

He really was. He never did sleep well without Steve, and he'd barely slept on his trip only to come home into the mess he had and it had been almost three weeks since he'd slept more than a couple of hours at a time.

Steve nodded and shifted, manoeuvring Tony into a more comfortable position so he could lean against his chest.

"I love you," he murmured, pressing a kiss to Tony's temple.

"I love you too."

When the team joined them for food which J.A.R.V.I.S had ordered, Tony was already fast asleep against Steve, his face nuzzled into Steve's neck.

* * *

 **Written for:**

Showtime - B1. Slapping someone

North Funfair - Splash a Mod - Angel - "What did I do to deserve this?"

East Funfair - Bingo - Item's Board - Ring

South Funfair - Test Your Strength - Weakling Level - Whispering

365\. 206. Tragic


	100. TonyBucky 14

**Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.**

 **Challenges listed at the bottom.**

 **Word Count** \- 1757

* * *

 **Itch**

* * *

They were too early into their relationship to deal with problems. Tony knew that. They'd barely been together for a month. So when his skin started itching with the need to touch, to be touched, to hold and be held, Tony ignored it.

He fulfilled it best he could with Pepper and Happy, because they knew how clingy he could be and they were used to him. Sometimes, he thought they even didn't mind it. Pepper would hold his hand while they went over paperwork, and Happy would clap his shoulder and leave his hand there for longer than considered normal.

It helped. It wasn't perfect, but life rarely was, and Tony knew that.

Not to say that Bucky never touched him, because he did. He just… wasn't overly affectionate. When it was just the two of them, he'd curl up with his head against Tony's thigh, and most of the time when they shared a bed, he'd wrap his arm around Tony's waist.

They exchanged kisses too, and of course, when they were in bed, there was a lot of touching, but that wasn't often the touch that Tony _needed._ Tony soaked up affection like a sponge. It was soft, casual touches that he needed.

An arm around his shoulders, holding hands, or someone playing with his hair. A connection that lasted so he could build it up. It always helped the itch go away for longer.

Rhodey was the best for it. He always made it seem like it wasn't a chore for him to cuddle on the sofa with Tony, to let Tony curl up on his lap at the breakfast table, or even to just hold his hand when they strolled around town.

Closing down his work, Tony sighed. He could never concentrate properly when his skin itched. Rubbing a hand over his face, he wondered to himself if maybe he could get Nat or Clint to spar with him. It wasn't great, but he couldn't think of anything better.

…

Bucky was writing in his diary again. He scrawled furiously, as if he was scared the words would leave his mind if he didn't get them onto the page fast enough. Tony didn't interrupt, instead going into the kitchen to get himself coffee.

"J, ask Rhodey when he's going to be in town," he said as he set the coffee maker off. The itch was getting steadily worse and he just… he needed.

There was a pause, and then J.A.R.V.I.S said, "Master Rhodes is not planning to be in town for another month or so, but he'd like to remind you that you have a standing invitation to visit him whenever you'd like."

Huh. Tony nodded slowly, thoughtfully. He didn't have too much work on at the moment, he could afford to take a few days away, and War Machine could always be upgraded.

"Sounds like a plan, J. Prep the suit for flight. I'll be leaving in about twenty minutes."

"Leaving? Where you going, Doll?"

"I'm going to go see a Rhodey about a War Machine," Tony said, the words falling off his lips easily. Bucky leant against the cabinet facing Tony and crossed his arms over his chest.

Tony barely held back his sigh. Bucky was always so… closed off. Tony just wanted to burrow under his arms and snuggle against his chest but… he shook the thought off and smiled at Bucky.

"I'll only be gone for a few days, Cupcake. Three max."

"I thought Rhodes fetched the armour here when it was due an upgrade?"

Bucky seemed upset about Tony going away, and Tony almost called the trip off entirely. He hated to be the cause of that frown.

"He can't get away until next month, and I don't have loads going on at the moment." A thought occurred to Tony and he frowned. "You… you know that Rhodey and I are friends, right? I mean…. Just friends?"

The frown cleared of Bucky's face as he assured Tony that, "Oh, of course I know that. I trust you, Doll. I just… I'll miss you. Guess I got used to you being here all the time."

"I'll be back before you know it," Tony promised. "You won't even have time to miss me."

As he made his way past Bucky to leave the kitchen, he leant forward and pressed a soft kiss to Bucky's lips. "I'll see you in a few days."

Bucky nodded and Tony continued on his way. He completely missed the way Bucky dropped his arms to his sides and looked down unhappily, twisting his fingers together.

...

"You know, if you just told Barnes about your 'itch' I'm sure he'd be down for all the cuddles," Rhodey said, running his hand through Tony's hair.

They were curled up on the sofa with the TV playing softly in the background. Tony felt miles better already.

"I don't want to be clingy," he replied, nuzzling closer. "We haven't been together long and… well, he doesn't seem like much of a fan of P.D.A, you know? And like, even when it's just the two of us, it's like he's not really that interested in physical contact and I really don't want to push him into it because I really like him and—"

"Breathe, Tones."

"Hmph. Well. Anyway, I don't want to push him away by being all needy. So."

"He wore a bow tie for you," Rhodey muttered, talking about a gala that Bucky accompanied Tony too a couple of weeks earlier. "If he'll wear bow ties for you, then I'm sure he'll be happy to cuddle you."

"Bowties are cool," Tony pouted.

"Sure they are."

…

"Missed you," Bucky murmured, kissing Tony softly in welcome.

Tony pressed against him, enjoying the contact for the few seconds Bucky allowed it before he stepped back.

Barely repressing a sigh, Tony smiled at his boyfriend. "I missed you too."

Bucky grinned at him and started filling him in about the shenanigans the team had gotten up to in the tower while he was gone. It was great, especially since while he talked, Bucky made breakfast, but Tony couldn't help but wish they could have had the conversation with Bucky's arm around his shoulder, or with him curled up in the bigger man's lap.

The Rhodey-voice in his head told him to just tell Bucky how he felt, but Tony pushed it away forcibly. He wouldn't ruin this. Not if he could help it.

Instead, he listened to Bucky, laughing at the appropriate times and threatening eviction when Bucky explained exactly what Clint had been up to.

…

In the weeks following his visit to Rhodey, Tony _did_ notice some small changes in their relationship. Bucky spent more time in the lab, sitting on the little sofa Tony kept in there for passing out purposes, playing with the bots or writing in his diary, or even a few times, asking Tony about what he was working on.

It was good, Tony enjoyed having him around more often.

He also initiated kisses more, which of course Tony definitely wasn't complaining about.

It was on one such occasion that Bucky had been in the lab when the man went to hunt down lunch for the two of them that Tony ran across Bucky's diary, left open on the sofa.

He didn't want to read it. It was an invasion of privacy and—who the hell was he kidding?

As soon as he saw the last sentence Bucky had written, he couldn't stop himself from picking it up.

 _Have been initiating more contact, and Tony seems to be receptive._

Was there really a doubt that he wouldn't be? He picked the diary up and flipped through the last few pages, a sinking feeling in his stomach when he saw the words hastily scrawled on the pages.

When Bucky returned from upstairs, it was to find Tony sitting on the sofa, the diary beside him, still open to the last page.

"I can explain—" he rushed to say, before Tony held his hand up to hush him.

"War Machine didn't actually need an upgrade," he said softly, looking up at Bucky, who was holding a large plate filled with sandwiches and had a fearful look on his face. "I went to see Rhodey because I'm needy and clingy and I _need_ physical contact. I need cuddles and hand holding and all of the affection, because when I _don't_ get it, I get itchy and I can't concentrate."

Bucky swallowed and looked down, putting the plate on a small side table. Tony stood up and walked over to him, entwining their fingers.

"I didn't want to push you, and since you always moved away whenever I tried to initiate contact, I thought maybe you just weren't comfortable with it. But then, I run across an open diary, and I realise that you're just as clingy and needy as I am, but you don't want to run me off."

He stepped closer still, until he couldn't actually get any closer. Their chests pressed against each other, and Bucky was forced to tilt his head back up and meet Tony's eyes.

"Why didn't you ever want to stay when I tried to hug you?" Tony asked, making sure to keep any accusations out of his tone because that wasn't what Bucky needed right now.

His metal hand, seemingly without him noticing, had raised to rest on Tony's hipbone, his thumb caressing the skin there softly.

"I, uh, I thought if I got used to holding you that… well. Maybe I wouldn't wanna let you go. I didn't want you to think I was too much but—"

"I want too much, Buck. I want all of you, clinginess and all. And, uh, I hope you know that now I know that you actually _want_ physical contact, I probably won't leave you alone. Like. Ever."

Bucky's lips tilted up. "Sounds perfect, Doll."

…

"Urgh."

Bucky snorted, but ignored Clint. Tony was curled up on his lap, accepting small bites of his breakfast directly from Bucky's hand. He was barely awake yet, and sleepy Tony was definitely one of Bucky's favourite Tony's.

Though… that probably didn't mean much considering all of the Tony's were Bucky's favourite.

"You two are so… cute. It's gross."

"Jealous," Tony mumbled. "I get all the cuddles 'n you don't."

Bucky chuckled, and Clint rolled his eyes, but even he couldn't resist sleepy Tony.

"Sure Tones, that's what it is. I'm jealous."

Tony nodded. "Yes. Yes you are."

* * *

 **Written for:**

North Funfair - Photo Booth - Doctor Who theme - 1. Bowtie - "Bowties are cool."

East Funfair - Bingo - Item Board - Diary

South Funfair - Pygmy Puff - Edith - Diary

365\. 222. Hipbone


End file.
